US to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in 5 years
(VOVWORLD) - The Pentagon is planning to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan within the next 3 to 5 years, the Hill reported on Thursday.
 Patrick Shanahan, acting United States Secretary of Defense (2nd, right, front), Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb 11, 2019 (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
The plan is part of peace negotiations that could result in the government in Kabul sharing power with the Taliban, according to the report. Officials are discussing with European allies a plan to cut 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan by half within the next few months. The 8,600 European and Australian troops stationed in Afghanistan would be tasked with training Afghan troops, shifting the focus of US forces to counter-terrorism operations, according to the Hill. A Pentagon spokesman said no plans has been finalized yet, and the Trump administration is "considering all options of force numbers and disposition" in Afghanistan.