Biden’s elimination of U.S. forces will coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror assaults that triggered the nation’s entry into what would turn out to be its longest warfare.

The announcement comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin meet with NATO companions in Brussels.

In February 2020, the Trump administration brokered a cope with the Taliban that might usher in a everlasting cease-fire and scale back additional the U.S. navy’s footprint from roughly 13,000 troops to eight,600 by mid-July final yr.

By Could 2021, all international forces would depart Afghanistan, based on the deal. Nearly all of troops within the nation are from Europe and companion nations. There are about 2,500 U.S. service members at the moment in Afghanistan.

Final month, Biden informed reporters throughout his first press convention that he couldn’t but decide to the Could 1 deadline.

“It will be arduous to fulfill the Could 1 deadline,” Biden mentioned, including “it’s not my intention to remain there for a very long time,” Biden mentioned.

When requested if U.S. service members would stay in Afghanistan one other yr, Biden mentioned he didn’t see that being the case.

“We aren’t staying a very long time. We are going to go away, the query is once we go away,” the president mentioned, including that his administration was in consultations with NATO allies and companions within the area.

The wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria have price U.S. taxpayers greater than $1.57 trillion collectively since Sept. 11, 2001, based on a Protection Division report. 

It is a growing story. Examine again for updates.