Afghanistan pullout halfway finished: Gen McKenzie

KABUL (Pajhwok): US forces have completed about 50 percent of their pullout from Afghanistan, says a top American general.

Gen Frank McKenzie, US Central Command chief, said on Monday that the US troops remained on track to complete their pullout by September 11.

The next few months would be critical for Afghanistan’s future, he warned, asking the government in Kabul and the Taliban to resume peace negotiations.

In a call with Middle East-based journalists, he said: “We’ve completed about half of the entire retrograde process and we will meet the September deadline to complete the full withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

The National quoted Gen. McKenzie as saying the US embassy in Kabul would remain functional. He also promised continued US support for the Afghan forces.

McKenzie commented the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was on pace and continued smoothly. He said it was “about halfway finished.

The CENTCOM chief will brief Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on how many troops would be needed to secure the embassy and the Kabul airport.

PAN Monitor/mud

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