Exit from Afghanistan 12pc complete: CENTCOM

KABUL (Pajhwok): Up to 12 percent of the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan — an operation that began on May 1 — is complete, says the US central command (CENTCOM).

Last month, President Joe Biden announced a complete US troop pullout from the war-devastated country by Sept. 11. But America’s European allies have urged the US to slow down its departure.

A statement from CENTCOM, cited by the Washington Examiner, said on Tuesday: “Since the president’s decision, the US has retrograded the equivalent of approximately 104 C-17 loads of material out of Afghanistan.”

On the face of it, the statement indicated that large amounts of American military cargo had been shipped out of Afghanistan.

Based in Tampa, CENTCOM added 1,800 pieces of equipment had been turned over to the Defense Logistics Agency for destruction.

According to the daily, the US troop level in Afghanistan stands at about 3,000, including an undisclosed number of special forces brought in to protect the withdrawal. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower to remain nearby and flew in six B-52 bombers and a dozen F-18 fighters for protection.

PAN Monitor/mud