US Troops Begin Leaving Afghanistan, Military Spokesman Says

A spokesman for American military forces in Afghanistan says a withdrawal by US troops has begun. “In accordance with the US-Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Joint Declaration and the US-Taliban Agreement, US Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) has begun its conditions-based reduction of forces to 8,600 over 135 days,” Col. Sonny Leggett said. There are an estimated 12-13,000 American soldiers in the southeastern Asian country. “USFOR-A maintains all the military means and authorities to accomplish our objectives – including conducting counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida and ISIS-K [Islamic State] and providing support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces,” Leggett continued. “USFOR-A is on track to meet directed force levels while retaining the necessary capabilities.” The agreement with the Taliban was signed on February 29 in Doha, Qatar. The ultimate goal, aside from an end to a presence by foreign troops, is intra-Afghan peace talks, although these could be stymied by disagreements over prisoner releases between the Taliban and the government in Kabul. The government is led by President Ashraf Ghani, who was inaugurated for an additional term in office on Monday.