You are here
Taliban praise continued US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
By AFP - Jan 17,2021 - Last updated at Jan 17,2021
KABUL — The Taliban welcomed the latest withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan with the insurgents' spokesman on Saturday calling the continued reduction of American forces a "good advancement" even as fighting raged across the war-weary country.
The Taliban's statement came just hours after the Pentagon announced it had cut troop levels in Afghanistan to 2,500, their lowest numbers during the nearly two decades of fighting.
Washington struck a deal with the Taliban in Qatar last year to begin withdrawing its troops in return for security guarantees from the militants and a commitment to peace talks with Kabul.
Those talks are ongoing, but have stalled amid violence and allegations of slow progress.
Meanwhile, the Taliban has continued its lethal assaults on Afghan security forces and civilians alike.
"The withdrawal of other US forces from Afghanistan, which was announced by the US yesterday, is a good advancement and practical measure," tweeted Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem.
"Undoubtedly, the practice of the agreement signed between the IEA and the US is in the benefit of both countries and nations," he added, referring to the Taliban's official acronym.
Outgoing President Donald Trump, seeking to fulfil a campaign promise to end the US wars launched in Afghanistan and Iraq after the 9/11 attacks, had ordered force levels to be slashed in both countries to that level by January 15 — despite initial pushback from the Pentagon.
Both the Taliban and Afghan government, however, are anxiously eyeing the arrival of President-elect Joe Biden in Washington and any new policy directions that might be implemented by the incoming administration.
The US invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban regime then in place had hosted Al Qaeda mastermind Osama Bin Laden.
The regime was quickly toppled but launched an insurgency and in recent years have seen a resurgence, with violence soaring across the country since NATO withdrew its combat forces in 2014 and civilians paying a disproportionate price.
Earlier Saturday Afghan officials said two Taliban fighters had infiltrated a base of pro-government Afghan militiamen in western Herat province, killing 12 security forces.
And in a separate incident, a vehicle carrying police was struck by a roadside bomb in the Afghan capital Kabul, which killed two policemen and wounded one other.
Related Articles
DOHA — Qatar said on Thursday it is working with the Taliban to quickly reopen Kabul's airport, whose closure since the departure of US tro
WASHINGTON — It is "time to end America's longest war", US President Joe Biden will say on Wednesday as he announces Washington's withdrawal
DOHA — Washington and the Taliban are set to sign a deal Saturday to secure America's exit from its longest war through gradually withdrawin