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Biden confirms troop draw down to start on May 1
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday night officially confirmed that American troops withdrawal from Afghanistan will start on May 1.
He said the withdrawal process would be finished by September 11 – the anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the United States.
Biden said: “It is time to end America’s longest war. It is time for American troops to come home from Afghanistan.”
He said the US will begin its withdrawal on May and that it will not be a “hasty rush to the exit.”
He stated that if the Taliban attacks, the US will defend itself and partners with “all the tools at our disposal.”
Biden said that while the US will not stay in Afghanistan militarily it will continue to stand by the Afghans and assist with humanitarian needs and will continue to support women in the country.
He also said the US will call on countries in the region, including Pakistan, to do more for Afghanistan.
He said America went in to Afghanistan 20 years ago after being attacked and that 10 years ago the threat of Osama bin Laden was eliminated but that they stayed for another 10 years.
According to him, a close review of their presence in Afghanistan was done in consultation with a wide array of stakeholders but that the US now needs to focus on new threats along with other challenges including the coronavirus pandemic.
He said “we will reorganize counter-terrorism” initiatives and Washington will focus its full attention on terrorism threats wherever they arise – “not only in Afghanistan”.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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