President Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah at the White House
After the American and NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan, which is likely to be substantially completed in the next two weeks, some 650 US troops are anticipated to stay in Afghanistan to provide protection for diplomatic missions in Afghanistan. Additional hundreds of American troops would also remain at the Kabul airport, perhaps until September, to help Turkish troops in providing security as an interim measure until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in force, officials said. with Khaama Press in Afghanistan reporting.
Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Pentagon today, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
The Afghan leaders are also scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House.
The visit comes as the U.S. retrograde from Afghanistan proceeds. Ghani and Abdullah will discuss how the United States and Afghanistan will continue to work together in the future.
“During their visit, Secretary Austin will emphasize the United States’ enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan and to the department’s goal of ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups who pose a threat to the U.S. homeland,” Kirby said.
Kirby was peppered with questions about the status of thousands of Afghans who have worked with U.S. and partner nations over the past 20 years of war in the country. These men and women and their families qualify for special immigrant visas.
The State Department is in the lead in this effort, Kirby said, but the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Defense also have roles in getting these people to safety.
“The idea here is to be able to facilitate their departure from Afghanistan to another location so that they can complete the [special immigrant visa] process,” Kirby said.
The interagency planning is looking at ways to facilitate transportation for these people out of Afghanistan. This could be done in any number of ways, Kirby said. “I’m not going to speak to timelines here,” he said. “The direction from the commander in chief has been clear that we will be out by early September, and that is still the order that we’re obeying.”
The situation in Afghanistan is dynamic, but the retrograde is on pace. “We’re going to continue to try to [relocate the Afghan people who helped the U.S. and partner nations] in the most efficient, timely and orderly way possible,” the press secretary said. “It’s not like we haven’t done this before. This is not an uncommon mission set for the U.S. government.”
The Meeting with SecDef:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted today at the Pentagon His Excellency Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation.
During the visit, Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to an enduring U.S.-Afghan defense relationship. The Secretary also stressed that the Department is deeply invested in the security and stability of Afghanistan, and reiterated U.S. support for the continued competency of the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).
President Ghani, Dr. Abdullah and Secretary Austin discussed the winding down of the Resolute Support Mission and with that the transition to a new relationship with Afghanistan and with the Afghan forces. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for terrorists who threaten the Afghan people, the United States, or our Allies.
Secretary Austin and President Ghani each acknowledged the shared sacrifices of both the U.S. and Afghan forces, and the impact these sacrifices have had on our two nations and the families of the fallen.