NATO's Afghanistan withdrawal depends on violence levels, Stoltenberg says
Reuters
Published Feb 15, 2021 09:35AM ET
Updated Feb 15, 2021 10:58AM ET
By Robin Emmott
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Taliban militants in Afghanistan must do more to meet the terms of a 2020 peace agreement with the United States to allow for any possible foreign troop withdrawal by a May deadline, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.
Allied defence ministers will discuss later this week whether the Taliban is making good on the peace deal, which called for militants to curb attacks and foreign troops to withdraw by May 1.
"We see that there is still a need for the Taliban to do more when it comes to delivering on their commitments ... to make sure that they break all ties with international terrorists," Stoltenberg said.
Attacks in Afghanistan, including a bomb that killed the deputy governor of the capital Kabul in December, have prompted members of the U.S. Congress and international rights groups to call for a delay to the pullout agreed under former President Donald Trump.
NATO has 9,600 troops in Afghanistan, including 2,500 Americans, training and assisting Afghan forces.
Many fear that progress during two decades of foreign intervention in Afghanistan would quickly unravel, threatening gains in areas from women's rights to democracy. U.S. lawmakers have warned that withdrawing all troops could lead to civil war.
This week's defence ministers' meeting, which will take place by video conference on Wednesday and Thursday, was initially set decide on whether to go ahead with a troop pullout. The administration of new U.S. President Joe Biden faces calls to seek a six-month delay.
Four senior NATO officials told Reuters on Jan. 31 international troops would stay beyond the May deadline, despite Taliban calls for a full withdrawal.
"Our common goal is clear: Afghanistan should never again serve as a haven for terrorists to attack our homelands," Stoltenberg said. "While no ally wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary. We will not leave before the time is right."
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.