US President Donald Trump has decided to pull a significant number of troops from Afghanistan, a US official told AFP on Thursday, with the Afghan presidency brushing off concerns the drawdown would affect security.
US President Donald Trump has decided to pull a significant number of troops from Afghanistan, a US official told AFP on Thursday, with the Afghan presidency brushing off concerns the drawdown would affect security.
Reports suggested as many as half of the 14,000 troops in the war-torn country could be leaving.
The surprise move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and officials in Kabul who are involved in an intensifying push to end the 17-year conflict with the Taliban, which already controls vast amounts of territory and is causing « unsustainable » Afghan troop casualties.
« If you’re the Taliban, Christmas has come early, » a senior foreign official in the Afghan capital told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
« Would you be thinking of a ceasefire if your main opponent has just withdrawn half their troops? »
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid would not comment about the troop withdrawal when contacted by AFP. But a senior Taliban commander welcomed the decision.
« Frankly speaking we weren’t expecting that immediate US response, » the official told AFP from an unknown location in northwest Pakistan.
« We are more than happy, they realised the truth. We are expecting more good news. »
It is not clear if US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad or the Afghan government had been warned of Trump’s plans in advance.
But a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani downplayed the effect of any pullout.
« If they withdraw from Afghanistan it will not have a security impact because in the last four and half years the Afghans have been in full control, » presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said via social media.
