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US Troop Drawdowns In Afghanistan ‘Not Tied’ to Taliban Deal: Esper
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday that any future troop drawdowns in Afghanistan were “not necessarily” linked to a deal with Taliban insurgents, suggesting some lowering of force levels may happen irrespective of the ongoing peace push.
The remarks by Esper in an interview with Reuters came on the heels of a Thanksgiving trip last week to Afghanistan by President Donald Trump, who spoke of potential troop reductions and said he believed the Taliban insurgency would agree to a ceasefire in the 18-year-old war.
If honored by all sides, a ceasefire could lead to a significant reduction in violence. But U.S. military commanders would still focus on the threats associated with two other militant groups in Afghanistan: Islamic State and al Qaeda.
Speaking as he flew to London for a NATO summit, Esper said the Trump administration had been discussing potential reductions in troop levels for some time, both internally and with NATO allies.
“I feel confident that we could reduce our numbers in Afghanistan and still ensure that place doesn’t become a safe haven for terrorists who could attack the United States,” Esper said, without offering a figure.
“And our allies agree we can make reductions as well.”
Asked whether such reductions would necessarily be contingent on some sort of agreement with the Taliban insurgency, Esper said: “Not necessarily.”
He did not elaborate.
There are currently about 13,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan as well as thousands of other NATO troops. U.S. officials have said U.S. forces could drop to 8,600 and still carry out an effective, core counter-terrorism mission as well as some limited advising for Afghan forces.
A draft accord agreed in September before peace talks collapsed would have withdrawn thousands of American troops in exchange for guarantees that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militant attacks on the United States or its allies.
Still, many U.S. officials privately doubt the Taliban could be relied upon to prevent al Qaeda from again plotting attacks against the United States from Afghan soil.
Esper did not hint at any developments in the coming days or suggest that new troop drawdowns in Afghanistan might figure into NATO discussions this week.
“I don’t think there’s any ‘new’ news right now, if you will. We’ve been discussing this for quite some time,” Esper said, when asked if he would raise the issue in London.
About 2,484 U.S. service members have been killed in the Afghan conflict and many thousands more wounded.
Source: News Agencies
Joe Kent, Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), told a congressional committee that two thousand Afghans evacuated to the United States in 2021 are believed to have links to terrorist organizations.
Kent said these individuals are part of a group of 88,000 Afghans who entered the United States under the “Operation Allies Welcome” program following the collapse of the former Afghan government. According to him, these evacuees “were not properly vetted,” and the screening process was insufficient.
He also referred to the recent attack in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghan evacuee shot two National Guard soldiers, killing one and injuring the other. Kent said the attacker had also arrived in the United States through the Afghan evacuation effort.
The NCTC director added that U.S. security agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, are jointly investigating the two thousand Afghans identified as having suspected links to terrorist organizations. He said that in addition to Afghans, U.S. authorities have also identified 16,000 people from other countries who entered the United States despite having “possible ties” to terrorist groups.
These claims come as debates continue in Washington over how the Afghan evacuation was managed and the security implications that followed.
Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced that Tehran will host a regional meeting on Afghanistan next week.
Referring to Iran’s ongoing consultations with neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, he said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches fundamental importance to security and stability in our neighboring environment, and in this regard, spares no effort to reduce tensions among regional countries and to strengthen mutual understanding.”
He described the upcoming meeting as the result of consultations held at various levels with neighboring countries and other regional actors, expressing hope that this initiative will play an effective role in enhancing regional cohesion and easing tensions.
According to Baqaei, the regional meeting will take place next week in Tehran, hosted by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be attended by special representatives for Afghan affairs from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia.
The European Union has announced €25 million in assistance to the World Food Programme’s Afghanistan office.
According to the EU, the aid will be used to develop climate-resilient projects and strengthen local food systems in Afghanistan.
It will also help create employment opportunities for women and youth, as well as support school nutrition programs.
The EU added that this cooperation will continue to expand opportunities that improve the lives of Afghans.
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