US Forces Leave Bagram Base in Afghanistan

World

July 2nd, 8:00am

Asharq Al-Awsat

A US soldier keeps watch at an Afghan National Army (ANA) base in Logar province, Afghanistan August 5, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, a US defense official said, under an agreement with the Taliban allowing for the withdrawal of all US forces from the country after a two-decade war. "All American soldiers and members of NATO forces have left the Bagram air base," said the senior US security official on condition of anonymity. The US military has coordinated its air war and logistical support for the war from the Bagram air base, about 60 km (40 miles) north of Kabul, and the withdrawal of the forces symbolizes the end of the US-led mission in Afghanistan. The base is being handed over to the Afghan government as its armed forces face a surging war with the Taliban and questions swirl about their prospects. An Afghan official said the base would be officially handed over to the government at a ceremony on Saturday. The US defense official told Reuters that General Austin Miller, the top US commander in Afghanistan "still retains all the capabilities and authorities to protect the force" that are stationed in the capital, Kabul. Two other US security officials said this week the majority of US military personnel would most likely be gone by July 4, with a residual force remaining to protect the embassy. Last month, US President Joe Biden told his Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani, that "Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want". Ghani said his job was now to "manage the consequences" of the US withdrawal. The agreement with the Taliban on the US pull-out was struck under the administration of President Donald Trump. In exchange for the US withdrawal, the Taliban have vowed to prevent any international terrorism from Afghan soil and they also made a commitment to enter into talks with their Afghan rivals but little progress has been made in negotiations.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3058421/us-forces-leave-bagram-base-afghanistan