Afghanistan's Abdullah Says Premature Withdrawal of US Troops to Create Security 'Vacuum'

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2020) Washington's decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan by this year's Christmas will vastly affect the country's security, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of High Council for National Reconciliation, said on Saturday.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox business on Thursday that he would bring US forces in Afghanistan back to the United States by the end of 2020. Prior to that, White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said that the US was going to reduce the number of its forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by early 2021.

"If a premature withdrawal takes place, there is no doubt that it will leave a vacuum, which will have an impact on the security situation in Afghanistan, But it won't mean one side prevailing over another. We have realised that there is no solution through war," Abdullah said in an interview with the Indian ANI news agency.

The official, who is currently visiting India, noted that the US military would not remain in Afghanistan "forever."

Speaking about the longed-for peace and security in Afghanistan, Abdullah believes that the pace of the intra-Afghan talks in the Qatari capital of Doha "is perhaps a bit slow" and there needs to be a "significant reduction in violence" by the Taliban movement, as cited by the Hindustan Times newspaper.

On February 29, the US and the Taliban concluded a peace agreement in the Qatari capital of Doha, which stipulates the withdrawal of foreign armed forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban's pledge to prevent the country from becoming a haven for terrorist groups.

The Taliban is currently involved in the intra-Afghan talks with Kabul, which are taking place in Doha as well.