US begins troop withdrawal from Afghanistan: Officials

The US military has started withdrawing troops from Afghanistan after about twenty years of war on the impoverished country, according to several American military officials.

The US media reported on Thursday that dozens of US troops, along with military equipment, were pulled out from Afghanistan as part of US President Joe Biden's plan to begin the withdrawal process before May 1.

Private security contractors and the US government workers are also departing the country, the officials told the American news network.

CNN reported last week that military equipment has been flown out of the country in recent days.

The US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan is due to be completed by September 11, which marks the 20th anniversary of the so-called 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington which the then-Bush administration used as a pretext to launch war against the country. W

The Pentagon has said it is concerned about personnel coming under attack from the Taliban as they depart so it's not clear if it will disclose all the details of the departure process.

The Pentagon has also announced to send another 650 ground forces, mainly Army Rangers, to Afghanistan in the coming days as a covering force to protect the withdrawal, especially from remote areas.

The US is also deploying additional Army artillery and rocket systems for force protection, according to the Pentagon.

SS