US begins troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, official says
Source: AP news
American troops have begun leaving Afghanistan for the initial troop withdrawal required in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, a U.S. official said on Monday, amid political chaos in Kabul that threatens the deal.
Hundreds of troops are heading out of the country as previously planned, but they will not be replaced as the U.S. moves ahead with plans to cut the number of forces in the country from about 13,000 to 8,600, the official said.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the movement ahead of a public announcement. The pullout comes as Afghanistans rival leaders were each sworn in as president in separate ceremonies on Monday, creating a complication for the United States as it figures out how to move forward on the deal and end the 18-year war.
The sharpening dispute between President Ashraf Ghani, who was declared the winner of last Septembers election, and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who charged fraud in the vote along with the elections complaints commission, threatens to wreck the next key steps and even risks devolving into new violence.
Read more: https://apnews.com/2e8a815a031e8da37075feec466694c2
sakabatou
(42,141 posts)Ford_Prefect
(7,873 posts)Unlikely back to the US. Shipped to other locations in the region?
bluestarone
(16,872 posts)Until AFTER election! NEVER trust THIS bunch of rethugs.
Marcuse
(7,446 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(4,457 posts)How 1918 of them.