The government of Afghanistan respects the U.S. decision on troops withdrawal from the militancy-plagued country, spokesman for the Afghan presidential palace Dawa khan Minapal said on Thursday.
According to Minapal, the presidents of Afghanistan and the U.S. had a phone conversation on Wednesday night, discussing the U.S. decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11.
“Lastnight, I had a call with President (Joe) Biden in which we discussed the U.S. decision to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by early September.
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan respects the U.S. decision and we will work with our U.S. partners to ensure a smooth transition,’’ Menapal quoted Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani as saying.
The upcoming Sept. 11, would be the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the U.S. into war in Afghanistan.
The latest U.S. decision extends the deadline negotiated between the previous U.S. administration and the Afghan Taliban last year to pull U.S. troops out of the country on May 1.
The Pentagon said that there are roughly 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but U.S. media recently said the number did not include 1,000 more U.S. special forces in the Asian country.
Besides, about 7,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan rely on U.S. logistics and security support. (Xinhua/NAN)
