US to Reduce Forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by Early 2021 - National Security Advisor
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th October, 2020) The United States will reduce the number of American forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by early next year, White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said during a foreign policy discussion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
"As of today, there are under 5,000, and then we'll go to 2,500 by early next year," O'Brien said on Wednesday.
The number of US troops in Afghanistan was drawn down to 8,600 in July and another 4,000 troops are expected to leave in the fall.
O'Brien said progress in the ongoing intra-Afghan talks will be slow and hard, but a necessary step if the United States wants to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan.
On February 29, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement that paved the way for reducing violence, gradual foreign troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and starting intra-Afghan negotiations.