Germany and UK to follow in US footsteps and withdraw troops from Afghanistan

Germany will “synchronize” the withdrawal of its troops in Afghanistan with that of the United States, according to German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer., commenting on Washington’s announcement to phase out theirs in that country.

“We’ve always said it: we go in together and we go out together. I am in favor of an orderly withdrawal and I suppose we will decide that today “the minister said with reference to the planned consultations between NATO allies on the presence of troops in Afghanistan.

“It would mean that we will synchronize our plans with those of the United States.”Kramp-Karrenbauer added in statements on German public television ARD on the future of the contingent of certain thousand soldiers that Germany has in the Middle Eastern country.

The minister said on Tuesday in Berlin, during a meeting with the United States Secretary of State for Defense, Lloyd Austin, What Germany would maintain its troops in Afghanistan until the end of the international mission there.

Austin, for his part, enjoyed the “Robust contribution” from Germany, “in particular in its leadership role in the framework mission in Afghanistan”.

For its part, The UK will also withdraw almost all of its troops from Afghanistan, a British newspaper reported on Wednesday Time.

Any modification of the British presence in Afghanistan will be made “In agreement with the allies and after consultation with our partners”he told the news agency AFP a spokesperson for the British government, without confirming or denying the newspaper’s information.

The United Kingdom works “closely” with the United States, NATO and other partners “to support a secure and stable Afghanistan”says the source, pointing out that “For there to be any chance for lasting peace, the Taliban must engage in constructive dialogue with the Afghan government”.

According to The Times, there is 750 British soldiers in Afghanistan.

The decisions of Germany and the United Kingdom are known after The United States to announce that it will begin a phased and unconditional withdrawal of all its troops from Afghanistan by May, with the aim of ending the longest war in its history in September.

The decision of the President of the United States, Joe biden, advanced Tuesday by an official source and that the president will detail in a speech this Wednesday, raises a new withdrawal schedule and erases the commitment of his predecessor, Donald Trump, to withdraw troops from the country before May 1.

Biden’s plan is to start the withdrawal process “Before May 1” and leave the troops at “zero” before the twentieth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, which led the United States to invade Afghanistan, said a senior American official, who requested anonymity.

Antony Blinken says NATO troops will leave Afghanistan completely

A coalition of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan to leave the country in coordination with the US withdrawal scheduled for September 11the US Secretary of State said on Wednesday, Antony blink.

Blinken told Brussels it was time for NATO members to live up to their mantra that the allies came together to Afghanistan and will leave together.

“I am here for work closely with our allies, with the Secretary General (of NATO), according to the principle that we have established from the beginning: get in together, fit together and date“The US official said in a televised statement at NATO Headquarters.

(With information from EFE, AFP and Reuters)

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