The United States expelled Bagram, its largest air base in Afghanistan | He announced that at the end of August he hopes to have completed the withdrawal of his troops from this country.

The United States hopes to complete the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of August, as authorities reported on Friday, after announcing that all US and NATO soldiers had left Bagram Airport, the largest air base in the conflict-ravaged country. After 20 years of war, the American president, Joe Biden, had set September 11 as the deadline for the final withdrawal of the few soldiers who remained on the ground. “We are exactly on the right track,” Biden said at a press conference.

Friday’s news that US troops had left Bagram Air Base fueled expectations that the pullout would be complete within days, but the White House spokesman, Jen Psaki, he said it would happen “at the end of August”.

The Taliban congratulated the departure of foreign troops from this base, located 50 km north of the Afghan capital and pillar of American operations throughout the conflict since 2001. The insurgents “welcome and support” this withdrawal, its spokesman said, Zabihula Mujahid. “Your full withdrawal [de Afganistán] this will pave the way for the Afghans to decide for themselves their future. “

“Bagram airport has been officially handed over to the Ministry of Defense. US and coalition forces have completely withdrawn from the base and now Afghan army forces will protect it and use it to fight terrorism, ”he wrote on Twitter. Fawad Aman, deputy spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Shortly before, a US defense official, who requested anonymity, reported that “all coalition forces” had left the facility.

According to news reports, the Pentagon will keep around 600 troops in Afghanistan to guard the huge US embassy in Kabul. “We will continue to provide security and humanitarian assistance and to work with the Afghan government in the next few months, ”Psaki said.

From this base, bombardments are carried out against the Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies, and the supply of the troops is organized. Since early May, the Taliban have launched several major offensives in rural areas, as government forces struggle to consolidate their positions in more urban areas. Its ability to maintain control of the Bagram air base will be essential to preserve the capital, Kabul, and keep the pressure on the Taliban. In this direction, Biden stressed on Friday that the Afghan government must now “be able on its own” to protect the capital.

– “Chaotic situation” –

The withdrawal of foreign troops from Bagram “symbolizes the fact that Afghanistan is alone, abandoned and forced to defend itself only against the onslaught of the Taliban”, believes the experto Nishank Motwani, based in Australia. “Back home, the Americans and allied forces will see their expensive construction reduced to rubble from afar, knowing that the Afghans they fought with risk losing everything,” he added.

Bagram was built by the United States for its Afghan ally during the Cold War in the 1950s, to protect itself from the Soviet Union to the north. During those years, hundreds of thousands of US and NATO servicemen had settled in this base, which almost looked like a miniature town. In a while, There were pools, movie theaters, and even Burger King and Pizza Hut chain restaurants. There was also a prison on site for Taliban and jihadist prisoners.

In recent months, Bagram has been the target of rocket fire, claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State. Residents of the area hope that the situation will not deteriorate with the withdrawal of foreign forces. “The situation is chaotic (…) There is a lot of insecurity and the government has not [suficientes] weapons or equipment, ”said Matiulá, who owns a shoe store in Bagram market. According to Fazal Karim, a bicycle mechanic, “since they retired, the situation has worsened. There is no work (…), business is not going well “.

As of May, nearly 9,500 foreign troops remained in Afghanistan, including 2,500 Americans. For now, only Germany e Italy they confirmed the total withdrawal of their troops.