US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Afghanistan on a surprise visit
Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday began an unannounced visit to Afghanistan. His visit comes amid US plans to withdraw all American troops from the country before the 20th anniversary this year of September 11 terror attacks.
The withdrawal plans are going ahead in spite of a deadlock in peace talks with Taliban. This threatens to leave a power vacuum in Afghanistan. Initially aimed at May 1, the withdrawal plans have been postponed by four months.
Blinken met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as well as senior US officials in Kabul and brief them on President Joe Biden’s Wednesday announcement he was ending "the forever war", which began in response to the 2001 September 11 attacks.
"I wanted to demonstrate with my visit the ongoing commitment of the United States to the Islamic Republic and the people of Afghanistan," Blinken said after meeting Ghani.
"The partnership is changing, but the partnership is enduring."
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The Pentagon has around 2,500 troops in Afghanistan from a high of over 100,000. Thousands more serve as part of a 9,600-strong NATO force, which will withdraw at the same time.
Ever since the US indicated that it wanted to pull out from Afghanistan, there has been marked increase in violence with emboldened Taliban carrying out bombings and assassinations.
"It could cost us losing everything we worked and fought together for in the past 20 years and could risk overall security in Afghanistan," said Metra Mehran, a Kabul-based women's rights activist.
For the US, however, after 20 years and more than 2,400 deaths, enough is enough.
"We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result," Biden said.
The delayed withdrawal -- even by just over four months -- has angered the Taliban, who have threatened to resume hostilities against US forces.
"If the agreement is breached and foreign forces fail to exit our country on the specified date, problems will certainly be compounded and those who failed to comply with the agreement will be held liable," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter on Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)