The Taliban have not attacked withdrawing U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday, with U.S. Central Command saying up to 20% of the American withdrawal is now complete.
Since President Joe Biden’s April 14 announcement that he would withdraw the remaining 3,000 U.S. forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the Defense Department has removed the equivalent of 115 C-17 loads of material and turned over 5,000 pieces of equipment for destruction. Five facilities in all have now been turned over to the Afghan Ministry of Defense.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said withdrawing U.S. forces have not been subject to any major strikes by the Taliban.
“The withdrawal continues at pace, with nothing more than some minor harassing attacks that have had no impact,” he told reporters. “We certainly hope that that remains the case going forward.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent in 600 special forces troops, six B-52 bombers, and a dozen F-18 fighter jets to provide added protection for withdrawing forces. He also ordered the USS Eisenhower to remain at sea nearby for additional support.
“We’re not going to take anything just on hope and face value,” Kirby added. “We have to assume and we have to plan for the potential that it could be resisted, it could be opposed by the Taliban, so we’re continuing to take all the right precautions.”
Less clear is how the United States will continue to support the Kabul government after withdrawal is complete or protect some 15,000 Afghan contractors, including interpreters, who are seeking special immigrant visas to the U.S. It is believed the Afghans could be targeted by Taliban violence for cooperating with American forces.
“Gen. [Austin] Miller has some capabilities to continue to support Afghan security forces, and certainly there are still Afghans that are helping us,” he said. “We do everything we can to help make sure that they are protected in the same way that our troops are.”
However, without a basing agreement in any of the surrounding countries, the U.S. will be reduced to financial and “over the horizon” support as far away as Gulf country bases.
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That’s when the Afghan Defense Forces will be tested.
“Eventually, I mean, this is their country to fight for, and it’s their country to defend,” Kirby said. “It’s their citizens to look after.”
