Afghanistan will survive after US troop withdrawal: Afghan President

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says a partial withdrawal of US troops from the country will not have a crucial impact on the lives of the Afghan people.

President Ghani told Afghanistan’s TOLOnews on Thursday that the withdrawal of some 5,000 troops from the country “will not bring basic changes in our lives.”

He said the remaining number of forces “will support our Air Force, our Commando Force, and other Defense and Security Forces and will help the Resolute Support to continue [its mission in Afghanistan].”

Currently, there are about 20,000 foreign troops, mostly American, in Afghanistan as part of a US-led mission to purportedly train, assist and advise Afghan forces.

Ghani further said he had called on US President Donald Trump in a letter seven months ago to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan.

“The number of troops has not been mentioned in the bilateral agreement [between Afghanistan and the US] and in multilateral agreement with NATO… Reduction or increase in the number of troops is conditions-based,” he said.  

“Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” Ghani added. 

It was reported that some 5,000 US troops will be withdrawn in 135 days from five bases in Afghanistan.

Ghani made the remarks as representatives from the US and the Taliban militant group resumed a new round of talks in Qatar’s capital city, Doha, on Thursday.

SS