Karzai welcomes US 2016 withdrawal plan
Iran Press TV
Wed May 28, 2014 4:31PM GMT
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has welcomed Washington's announcement that it plans to pull out all of its forces from the war-torn country by the end of 2016.
The Afghan president's comments on Wednesday came a day after US President Barack Obama announced Washington's withdrawal plans.
On May 27, Obama said that the presence of some 32,000 American forces in Afghanistan would drop to 9,800 by the start of 2015.
He added that the soldiers would then be halved by the end of 2015, before their presence is reduced to an embassy one by the end of 2016.
'Ending the US military presence and assumption of security affairs by the Afghan forces have been a main demand of the president, the government and the people of Afghanistan,' Karzai said in a statement.
Karzai also called on Taliban militants to 'use this historic opportunity" to end the war they launched against foreign forces and Afghan soldiers.
Earlier in the day, Taliban militants condemned Washington's withdrawal plan, vowing to keep fighting against the US soldiers.
Relations between Kabul and Washington have been severely strained in recent years over several issues related to Afghan sovereignty. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has also censured the US for civilian casualties in airstrikes, night raids on private houses and alleged abuses by special force commandos.
Washington and its Western allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of a so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.
SZH/AB
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