ZCZC
BFF-25
US-AFGHANISTAN-TROOPS-TALIBAN-DIPLOMACY
US to announce 4,000-troop drawdown from Afghanistan: media
WASHINGTON, Dec 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The Trump administration will
announce as early as this week plans to withdraw around 4,000 troops from
Afghanistan, US media reported.
Talks between the United States and the Taliban resumed a week ago as the
parties sought a path to reduce violence or even reach a ceasefire.
They were paused by Washington on Thursday, however, after an attack by
the militant group near a key US air base north of Kabul that left two
civilians dead and dozens injured.
There are 13,000 US troops currently in Afghanistan.
NBC on Saturday cited three current and former US officials as saying the
Trump administration intends to announce the drawdown of 4,000 troops from
Afghanistan.
Two of those said some of the troops would be redeploying early, while
others would not be replaced when they end their term.
CNN cited one official in the Trump administration as saying the
announcement on a drawdown could happen this week, but that the “timing
remains in flux.”
The State Department did not reply to an AFP request to comment on Sunday,
and the Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which had no
immediate comment.
According to a draft agreement from September — reached after years of
negotiations — the Taliban would be required to commit to certain security
measures, agree to talks with the Afghan government and promise a reduction
of violence in exchange for a US troop withdrawal.
US President Donald Trump insisted last month on the need for a ceasefire
and made a surprise visit to Bagram air base in Afghanistan on November 28 to
celebrate Thanksgiving with troops and meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
Trump has previously indicated he wants to wind down US military
entanglements abroad where possible.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1800HRS