US and NATO plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan within 14 months
Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Saturday announced the signing of a joint declaration, according to which the US and NATO will withdraw their troops from Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban fulfill their obligations. The ceremony in Kabul was also attended by Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The declaration emphasizes that within 135 days after signing the agreement with the Taliban, the United States will reduce the number of troops in the IRA to 8,600. According to the document, the United States reaffirms its commitment to support the Afghan security forces and, with the consent of the IRA government, is ready to continue military operations in Afghanistan against al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and other extremist groups. The United States also expresses its readiness to assist in the negotiations between Kabul and Islamabad. In turn, the Afghan side will begin negotiations with the Taliban, including on the issue of the release of prisoners. Along with the beginning of the inter-Afghan dialogue, Afghanistan pledges to begin interaction with the UN Security Council regarding the lifting of sanctions against representatives of the Taliban. The document says the governments of the US and Afghanistan are committed to continuing “positive relations,” including economic cooperation aimed at rebuilding the IRA. It should be recalled that on February 29, 2020, a ceremony was held in Doha to sign an agreement between the United States and the Taliban. It is expected that inter-Afghan negotiations will begin soon in Afghanistan, the possibility of which gives hope for the restoration of peace in the country.
