Belgian troops to exit Afghanistan next year

KABUL (Pajhwok): Belgium says its contingent in Afghanistan would return home next year in coordination with allies and partners.

Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder said in an interview on Saturday: “We are preparing our withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

The pullout would occur during 2021, she told Het Belang van Limburg newspaper. She promised an orderly military exit from the war-hit country.

Dedonder assured: “We cannot simply leave; agreements have to be made with our allies. The evacuation of equipment alone will take three months.”

The minister is to present the military operations plan for 2021 to the cabinet, and then to parliament next week.

About 70 Belgian military personnel are currently stationed in Afghanistan within NATO’s mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces.

She explained: “The practical withdrawal of the Belgian units will be done in close coordination with our German partner.”

Under the US-Taliban peace pact signed in February, foreign troops will be completely pulled out by mid-2021. But the pullout is based on conditions on the ground.

PAN Monitor/mud