“US forces in Afghanistan remain in the mid-8,000s and five bases previously occupied by US forces have been transferred to our Afghan partners,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement.
“The United States military presence in Afghanistan remains focused on capabilities, not numbers. We maintain the capabilities and authorities necessary to protect ourselves, our allies and partners, and the national interests of the United States,” he said. Hoffman.
The statement does not mention the Taliban’s continued ties to Al Qaeda, something mentioned in a Defense Department report earlier this month.
In late February, the United States and the Taliban signed a landmark agreement, launching the possibility of ending the United States’ long involvement in the war, which spanned nearly two decades.
The “Agreement to Bring Peace to Afghanistan” outlined a series of US and Taliban commitments related to troop levels, anti-terrorism and intra-Afghan dialogue aimed at achieving “a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.” The agreement established a 14-month schedule for the withdrawal of the US military, its allies and coalition partners.
The US-led international military operation in Afghanistan told the inspector general that from March 1 to 31, “the Taliban refrained from attacking the Coalition Forces; however, attacks against (Defense and Security Forces increased) National Afghan) at levels above seasonal standards. “
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