MeterWith the withdrawal of the last group of soldiers from Kabul Airport, the United States ended its military operations in Afghanistan nearly 20 years later. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Central Command, said in a video with reporters at the Pentagon on Monday: “I am here to announce that we have completed the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.” This also ended the evacuation of the United States seeking protection. Military missions for people, allies, and Afghans. The last US military plane took off from Kabul Airport one minute before midnight local time. The U.S. ambassador left the country with the last C-17. The diplomatic mission to allow people to leave Afghanistan is underway.
According to the White House on Monday, the United States and its allies on evacuation missions have brought about 116,700 people to safety since August 14. There are still tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan who want to flee the Taliban-most of them are Afghans.
The radical Islamic Taliban called the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan historically significant. On Monday evening, German time, Anas Hakkani, a senior Taliban member, wrote on Twitter: “We write history again. The 20-year occupation of Afghanistan by the United States and NATO ends tonight. God It’s great.” He was very happy to see these historic moments 20 years after the jihad, and to see the sacrifices and hardships he was proud of.
Taliban spokesman Sabiura Mujahid wrote on Twitter that the last American soldier left the Kabul airport around midnight Afghan time, and the country has now achieved full independence. “The sky is quiet,” a New York Times reporter wrote on Twitter. He can hear and see the joyous footage of the Taliban.
Mujahid wrote in another tweet that the current shots are joyful shots, and people don’t need to worry. Try to control this situation. Taliban supporters congratulated each other on social media. “Congratulations everyone,” it said, “Afghanistan is free.” Others wrote that the myth that the United States is invincible has been shattered in Afghanistan. And: “You have a clock, but we have time.”
The West increases pressure on the Taliban
The United States and Western partners have repeatedly emphasized that even after the mission is over, it should be possible to bring people to safety. On Monday, the UN Security Council increased pressure on the radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan, asking them to uphold human rights and allow those who wish to leave the country unhindered to pass. The most powerful United Nations agencies rarely pass resolutions in this area.
US President Joe Biden announced in April that all US soldiers will be unconditionally withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 at the latest. This date marks the 20th anniversary of the attack on September 11, 2001, which triggered an Afghan military operation led by the United States. Therefore, NATO also announced that it will end its international mission. In July, Biden moved all withdrawal dates to August 31.
