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KABUL: 20 years after the United States’ strong presence with tens of thousands of troops in Afghanistan, now there are only 2,500 soldiers who will also exit by September 11. The withdrawal announced this month by President Joe Biden has become a matter of concern for many American officials who are worried if the Afghan security and defense forces fail to ensure security against Taliban attacks.
The Biden announcement of troop withdrawal was followed readiness from his major allies in Europe who have soldiers in the war-hit country to pull them back. The NATO-member states have now around 7,000 troops in Afghanistan.
Although the Afghan security and defense forces took responsibility for the country’s security in 2014, but they are still dependent to the United States and its contractors logistically and in the Afghan air force is completely dependent to them.
A CIA report warned prior to Biden’s announcement that hopes for a peace deal between Kabul and Taliban would be too weak.
The report predicted that Taliban would have advantage in the battlefield and the Afghan forces would have many problems to stand against them without foreign cooperation. “Kabul would have retreatment in the battlefield and Taliban are sure they would win,” the report reads.
But President Ashraf Ghani has assured the people of the ability of his security forces to defend the territory.
“99 per cent of operations were carried out by international troops 20 years ago. Today, your security forces are conducting 20 to 50 operations every day,” Ghani was quoted as saying in a report.
Meanwhile, the US Institute for Peace warns against the collapse of President Ghani’s administration. “The troop pullback will not only damage the United States, but it would also affect Afghanistan and the whole region.”
