March 25, 2021
2 mins read

Tough to meet May 1 Afghan troop exit deadline: Biden

“It’s going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline. Just in terms of tactical reasons, it’s hard to get those troops out.”said Biden…reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden has indicated that the US is unlikely to meet the May 1 deadline set by his predecessor Donald Trump to get American troops out of Afghanistan.

Addressing a news conference in Washington on Thursday, Biden said: “It’s going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline. Just in terms of tactical reasons, it’s hard to get those troops out.”

He said that the US was consulting its NATO allies who also have troops there “and if we leave, we’re going to do so in a safe and orderly way”.

Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Ghazni province, eastern Afghanistan

Replying to a question, the President said that he could not see the troops still being in Afghanistan next year.

“It is not my intention to stay there for a long time. But the question is how and in what circumstances do we meet that agreement that was made by President Trump to leave under a deal that looks like it’s not being able to be worked out to begin with? How is that done?”

Also read:N.Korean missile launch not provocation: Biden

He appeared to question the legitimacy of the democratically elected Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani by disparaging referring to him as “the ‘leader’, quote, in Afghanistan and Kabul”.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin “just met with Ghani and I’m waiting for the briefing on that. He is the the ‘leader’, quote, in Afghanistan and Kabul”, he said.

US troops in Afghanistan.

More than 20 years after the US and NATO troops were sent to Afghanistan to root out the Al Qaeda terror organisation and the Taliban that provided it bases, about 2,500 American troops remaining there, although down from about 100,000 at the height of the deployment in 2010.

Trump started negotiations with the Taliban for a peace settlement in Afghanistan and had set the May 1, 2021, deadline for the troops to return home.

Biden has kept on Zalmay Khalilzad, who was appointed by Trump as the special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation, and is still trying to seal a peace deal.

Also read:US Defence Secy visits Ghani

Previous Story

‘UK has exclusive deal with AstraZeneca’

Next Story

China sanctions British officials

Latest from -Top News

AU Backs New UN Libya Roadmap

The Roadmap seeks to resolve the Libyan crisis through a political process centred on institutional unification…reports Asian Lite News The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has

Sudan Feels Impact of GERD

The GERD project remains a point of contention among Nile Basin countries….reports Asian Lite News Water levels in Sudan’s Blue Nile have fallen to record lows following Ethiopia’s announcement that it has

UNESCO sounds alarm on teacher gap

Amina Mohammed proposed a five-point plan to strengthen the profession through greater investment, gender equality, support for digital learning…reports Asian Lite News At the UNESCO World Summit on Teachers in Santiago, Chile,

Modi Ends China Trip, US Hails India Ties

US termed India-US ties as a “defining relationship of the 21st century”, stating that partnership between both countries continues to reach new heights….reports Asian Lite News Shortly after videos and images of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Panjshir resistance, Taliban agree on temporary peace

The representatives met for three hours and then returned to

Pichai meets Indian envoy

Google under Pichai has made massive investment in India and