WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2021) The withdrawal of American forces and US allies from Afghanistan has passed the halfway point, Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday.
"US Central Command estimates that we have completed greater than 50% of the entire retrograde process," CENTCOM said in a press release.
Since President Joe Biden's order to withdrawal by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the US Defense Department has retrograded the equivalent of approximately 500 C-17 cargo aircraft loads of material out of Afghanistan and has turned nearly 13,000 pieces of equipment to the Defense Logistics Agency for disposition, the release said.
Also, the US has officially handed over six facilities to the Afghan Ministry of Defense, with plans for additional transfers in support of Afghan defense forces working to defend the nation, the release added.
Future updates will exclude percentage estimates for operational security reasons, according to the release. However, media reports indicate the withdrawal is proceeding at a rate well ahead of levels needed to meet the September 11 deadline.
