The United State military has completed more than 90% of the entire withdrawal process from Afghanistan, according to US Central Command. CENTCOM made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday.
The US has officially handed over seven former US military bases to the Afghan Ministry of Defense, according to the statement. In addition, the Department of Defense has retrograded the equivalent of approximately 984 C-17 loads of material out of Afghanistan and have turned over nearly 17,074 pieces of equipment, most of which is not defensive articles or considered to be major equipment, to the Defense Logistics Agency for disposition.
Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that the withdrawal was occurring “on pace,” and would likely be completed slightly earlier than expected, at the end of August. The withdrawal was ordered by President Joe Biden in April and had been slated to be completed by the symbolic date of September 11. The US will keep an estimated 650 military personnel in the country to protect the US embassy and diplomats.