The North Atlantic Coalition has postponed a final decision on withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made the announcement after a video conference with the defense ministers of 30 member states on Thursday. There are now about 10,000 coalition troops in Afghanistan. According to the original plan, NATO must leave the country by the end of April.
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Print
Copy the URL address
Abbreviated address
Close
U.S. troops have been in the archive since August 2018 in Logar, Afghanistan. | Photo: Omar Sopani | Source: Reuters
“At this point, we have not made a final decision on the future of our existence,” Stoltenberg said after talks with ministers. According to the Secretary-General, the Allies will continue to discuss progress in the “coming weeks”.
In an agreement with the Taliban in Doha last year, the United States promised to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by May this year, instead allowing the Taliban to use its members or any other organization to use Afghan territory to attack the United States. Its allies. If the United States leaves, soldiers from other NATO countries will also leave the country.
On Thursday, however, Stoltenberg said he would assess the situation in Afghanistan before making a “final decision” on the fate of the trip. “There are no easy options,” he stressed.
“If we stay after the first date in May, it threatens to provoke more violence and more attacks on our troops … but if we leave, we will lose what we have achieved.”
#NATO Defense ministers discussed # Afghanistan. We face many embarrassments & no easy options. We have not made a final decision on our future existence, but as the May 1 deadline approaches we will continue to consult and coordinate as an alliance.
17:25 – 18. 02. 2021
According to the DPA, after Thursday’s meeting, it is practically certain that the coalition’s troops will remain in Central Asia after May 1. According to him, it would take at least two months for such a complex operation to withdraw troops. How long the mission will last, but it is not certain.
According to Stoltenberg, the radical Taliban movement must reduce attacks, sever ties with terrorists and devote more energy to peace talks with the government in Kabul. However, the Taliban warned in early February that non-compliance with the Doha Accord would provoke a “major war.”
First a warship
On behalf of Chechnya, Defense Minister Lubomer Medner took part in a video conference (yes). According to him, the suspension of training and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will depend on the security and political situation in the country.
“Under the agreement with the United States, the Taliban must abide by its obligations and a ceasefire or peace agreement must be reached between them and the Afghan government. The consensus is that the time will come for all of us to leave the country once these conditions are met,” Medner said in a statement from the Czech Defense Ministry.
There are about 10,000 NATO and allied troops in Afghanistan. About 2,500 of them are Americans. Czech troops are also stationed in Afghanistan, starting this year, up to 205, according to an order approved by the Czech government and parliament.
With defense ministers #NATO We agreed that the condition for a joint withdrawal from Afghanistan would meet the Taliban’s conditions. We also agreed today to expand training in Iraq. We have an authorized order of up to 80 troops for Iraq and we will definitely apply for it. #WeAreNATO
17:00 – 18. 02. 2021
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. In October 2001, as part of Operation Prolonged Freedom, the United States and Britain launched an offensive against the Afghan regime. This is a response to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in September of the same year by the Afghanistan-based Al Qaeda. The Taliban government was overthrown in November 2001.
The defense ministers also addressed a meeting in Iraq on Thursday. The Secretary-General has announced that NATO will strengthen its training mission in the country. Instead of the current 500 troops, there will be up to 4,000 in Iraq, who will also be operating outside Baghdad.
Ministers decided to expand AT NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) Intended to support local forces in the fight against terrorism. We will increase the number of employees from 500 to 4000 and include security companies and areas. #NATOWill continue with full consultation #IraqGovernment.
17:54 – 18. 02. 2021
Stoltenberg insisted that the coalition was in Iraq at the request of Prime Minister Mustafa Qasim’s government.
According to Metner, talks are now underway on the representation of a number of individual countries in the Iraq mission. “The decree approved by the government and parliament for 2021-22 allows the deportation of 80 Czech soldiers,” the minister said.
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Print
Copy the URL address
Abbreviated address
Close