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US slips out of Bagram silently without notifying new commander

Published

3 years ago

July 6, 2021

The U.S. left Afghanistan’s Bagram Airfield after nearly 20 years by shutting off the electricity and slipping away in the night without notifying the base’s new Afghan commander, who discovered the Americans’ departure more than two hours after they left, Afghan military officials said, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. announced Friday it had completely vacated its biggest airfield in the country in advance of a final withdrawal the Pentagon says will be completed by the end of August.

“We (heard) some rumor that the Americans had left Bagram … and finally by seven o’clock in the morning, we understood that it was confirmed that they had already left Bagram,” Gen. Mir Asadullah Kohistani, Bagram’s new commander said.

U.S. military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett did not address the specific complaints of many Afghan soldiers who inherited the abandoned airfield, instead referring to a statement last week, AP reported.

The statement said the handover of the many bases had been in the process soon after President Joe Biden’s mid-April announcement that America was withdrawing the last of its forces. Leggett said in the statement that they had coordinated their departures with Afghanistan’s leaders.

Before the Afghan army could take control of the airfield about an hour’s drive from the Afghan capital Kabul, it was invaded by a small army of looters, who ransacked barrack after barrack and rummaged through giant storage tents before being evicted, according to Afghan military officials.

“At first we thought maybe they were Taliban,” said Abdul Raouf, a soldier of 10 years. He said the the U.S. called from the Kabul airport and said “we are here at the airport in Kabul.”

As of last week, most NATO soldiers had already quietly left. The last U.S. soldiers are likely to remain until an agreement to protect the Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, which is expected to be done by Turkey, is completed, AP reported.

Bagram was a massive facility, the size of a small city, that had been exclusively used by the U.S. and NATO. AP reported that the sheer size is extraordinary, with roadways weaving through barracks and past hangar-like buildings. There are two runways and over 100 parking spots for fighter jets known as revetments because of the blast walls that protect each aircraft. One of the two runways is 3,660 meters long and was built in 2006. There’s a passenger lounge, a 50-bed hospital and giant hangar-size tents filled with supplies such as furniture.

Kohistani said the U.S. left behind 3.5 million items, all itemized by the departing U.S. military. They include tens of thousands of bottles of water, energy drinks and military ready-made meals, known as MRE’s.

“When you say 3.5 million items, it is every small item, like every phone, every door knob, every window in every barracks, every door in every barracks,” he said.

The big ticket items left behind include thousands of civilian vehicles, many of them without keys to start them, and hundreds of armored vehicles. Kohistani said the U.S. also left behind small weapons and the ammunition for them, but the departing troops took heavy weapons with them. Ammunition for weapons not being left behind for the Afghan military was blown up before they left.

Afghan soldiers who wandered Monday throughout the base that had once seen as many as 100,000 U.S. troops were deeply critical of how the U.S. left Bagram, leaving in the night without telling the Afghan soldiers tasked with patrolling the perimeter.

“In one night, they lost all the goodwill of 20 years by leaving the way they did, in the night, without telling the Afghan soldiers who were outside patrolling the area,” said Afghan soldier Naematullah, who asked that only his one name be used, AP reported.

Within 20 minutes of the U.S.’s silent departure on Friday, the electricity was shut down and the base was plunged into darkness, said Raouf, the soldier of 10 years who has also served in Taliban strongholds of Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

The sudden darkness was like a signal to the looters, he said. They entered from the north, smashing through the first barrier, ransacking buildings, loading anything that was not nailed down into trucks.

On Monday, three days after the U.S. departure, Afghan soldiers were still collecting piles of garbage that included empty water bottles, cans and empty energy drinks left behind by the looters.

Kohistani, meanwhile, said the nearly 20 years of U.S. and NATO involvement in Afghanistan was appreciated but now it was time for Afghans to step up, AP reported.

“We have to solve our problem. We have to secure our country and once again build our country with our own hands,” he said.

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IEA will not leave Pakistan’s ‘cowardly attacks’ in Paktika unanswered: MoD

While some Pakistani media outlets have claimed that the targets of recent attacks were members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has stated that all the victims were local civilians.

Published

3 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Ariana News

The Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) condemned Pakistan's airstrikes in Paktika province late on Tuesday.

The ministry said in a statement that civilians were targeted in the attacks.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers this barbaric act to be against all international principles and open aggression, and strongly condemns it,” read the ministry statement.

The ministry added that the Pakistani side should know that such arbitrary actions are not the solution to any problem.

"The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered, rather it considers the defense of its territory and privacy as its inalienable right,” read the statement.

Khalilzad's reaction to Pakistan's airstrikes in Barmal district of Paktika

Meanwhile, Zalmay Khalilzad, the former representative of the US for peace in Afghanistan, in response to Pakistan's airstrikes in Barmal district of Paktika province, stated that if these attacks are confirmed, the Islamic Emirate may react.

Khalilzad said on X that both countries need a clear agreement to ensure that none of them use their territory against the other.

Referring to the visit of Pakistan's special representative to Kabul, he asked whether General Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, would allow the envoy to start negotiations to resolve these tensions.

Pakistani jets targeted some areas of Barmal district of Paktika on Tuesday.

Conflicting Reports on Casualties from Recent Attacks in Paktika

At present, there is no confirmed information on the exact number of casualties or injuries. Authorities from the Islamic Emirate are expected to provide further details in the coming hours.

The attacks took place while Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's special envoy for Afghanistan affairs, was visiting Kabul for talks. He met with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, Acting Minister of Interior and other officials of the Islamic Emirate.

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Iran supports lasting stability, security in Afghanistan: Araghchi

Araghchi made the remarks while meeting with Alireza Bikdeli, the newly appointed head of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Embassy in Afghanistan on Tuesday night.

Published

4 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Ariana News

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has emphasized Iran’s special focus on Afghanistan, reaffirming the country’s support for and assistance to the Afghan people in their pursuit of lasting stability, security, and sustainable development.

Araghchi made the remarks while meeting with Alireza Bikdeli, the newly appointed head of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Embassy in Afghanistan on Tuesday night.

Bikdeli presented a report on his mission and outlined forthcoming plans to advance the development of relations and cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

In this meeting, the top Iranian diplomat underscored the serious commitment of the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian to pursue a policy of good neighborliness and emphasized Iran's special concern for the situation in Afghanistan.

Bikdeli previously held several prominent positions, including as Iran’s chargé d'affaires in Kazakhstan, Head of the Economic Reconstruction Taskforce for Afghanistan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy for Research at the Institute for Political and International Studies.

He also served the country as Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Cyprus, and Turkey as well as the Deputy for Consular, Parliamentary, and Expatriate Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.

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Mines ministry signs cement production contract in Logar with private company

Published

18 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Ariana News

Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Hedayatullah Badri, announced that a cement production contract has been signed in Logar province with a private company.

During a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday, Badri stated that the contract has a 30-year duration, and the contracting company will invest approximately $145 million into the project.

Badri explained that, once operational, the plant will produce 2,500 tons of cement daily, creating job opportunities for thousands of individuals.

“The contracting company will invest around $145 million in this project, which will have a daily production capacity of 2,500 tons of cement,” he said. “This project will also generate employment for hundreds of our fellow citizens.”

Meanwhile, the representative of the contracting company assured that work on the major project will begin on schedule and progress according to the terms of the agreement.

Wu Zeidan, the president of SAKO Afghan, stated, "We are committed to serving the Afghan people through this project, and we pledge to complete it on time, in line with the contract."

It is worth noting that since the Islamic Emirate's takeover, four major cement projects have been signed between the Ministry and the private sector, with a total investment of approximately $623 million. Currently, work on these projects is currently advancing rapidly.