The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release issued on June 22 that the country’s Department of Defense (DoD) has completed “more than 50 percent” of the entire withdrawal process from Afghanistan as of June 21.
“The DoD has retrograded the equivalent of approximately 763 C-17 loads of material out of Afghanistan and have turned nearly 14,790 pieces of equipment to the Defense Logistics Agency for disposition. The 14,790 pieces of equipment comprise almost entirely federal excess personal property,” the press release stated.
According to the CENTCOM, over six facilities have been officially handed over to the Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan since the foreign troops withdrawal began in May 01.
The US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal plan of the US troops from Afghanistan on April 14. According to the plan, all the foreign troops will leave Afghanistan by September 11 this year.
The CENTCOM has also stated that it will no longer provide specific percentage on withdrawal of the US troops for operational security and to preserve force protection.
Withdrawal of foreign troops is part of the US-Taliban peace deal signed between the two sides in Doha, Qatari capital, late in February 2020. Complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan by May 01 and a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan are the two key components of the agreement.
However, the two sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the agreement since the deal was signed.
Contrary to the agreement, the Taliban militants increased the level of violence dramatically across Afghanistan which has claimed scores of lives, including civilians, in countryside and major cities.
When the Biden announced the withdrawal process will be completed by September 11, not by May 01, the Taliban walked away of a planned high level peace conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
Moreover, the militant group increased attacks against Afghan defense and security forces and overran over 60 districts since May 01.
