CENTCOM Chief says conditions for full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan not met
Jun 10, 2020
Washington [USA], June 10 (Sputnik/ANI): US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Wednesday that conditions for a full withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 have not been met.
"If conditions will allow, we're prepared to go to zero, however, the important phrase is 'if conditions will allow,'" McKenzie said during a discussion at the Middle East Institute. "Those conditions will be: can we be assured that attacks against us will not be generated there? As of right now, frankly, if you ask my opinion, those conditions have not been fully met."
On February 29, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement following months of negotiations on the heels of a pact to reduce violence between the Taliban movement and the Afghan government. The peace agreement stipulates a withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and the launch of intra-Afghan peace talks, subject to a mutual exchange of prisoners.
McKenzie emphasized that the Taliban movement has refrained from attacks against US and Coalition forces, but it has conducted significant attacks against Afghan security forces after concluding the peace agreement with the United States.
McKenzie said the Taliban needs to demonstrate it will be a faithful partner, but it is unclear yet whether the movement is ready to move forward with negotiations.
The United States is in the process of meeting its obligation to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan to about 8,000, McKenzie added.
