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US to reduce its troops to 2,500 by mid-January: Miller
The US and NATO forces commander in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller said in an interview with Ariana News on Sunday that Washington will reduce its troops in Afghanistan to 2,500 by January 15.
According to Miller the remaining troops will continue to support Afghan forces in the country.
This comes after critics have blasted the Taliban for not sticking to their agreement signed in February with the US on reducing the levels of violence in the country.
“I have been ordered to reduce the US military presence to 2,500, a part of this is in line with the US-Taliban agreement; we downsize our troops in accordance with the conditions,” said Miller.
“Important for the Afghan people to understand is that we have discussed this with the Afghan security forces.”
Miller, however, said that he has discussed the high levels of violence with the Taliban in Doha and said it’s hoped the group will ease back on violence.
He also warned that the historic opportunity for peace will be missed if the violence continues.
“I have talked to Taliban about this, violence is too high; Taliban’s violence needs to come down. We have had many discussions about this; we have reaffirmed to a historic opportunity in the ongoing peace process,” said Miller.
According to him the troops that stay behind will fight al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and will support the Afghan forces.
Currently the US has 4,500 troops in Afghanistan under the Resolute Support Mission.
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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