President Trump is reportedly planning to withdraw 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as part of a pledge he made this summer to end American involvement in conflict in the area.
Three current and former United States officials told NBC News the president is planning to announce the immediate withdrawal that will see a massive reduction in the current number of troops in the region, which are now between 12,000 and 13,000. The news could come as early as next week and follows renewed peace talks with the Taliban.
“We’re going down to 8,600 and then we make a determination from there as to what happens,” Trump said in August. “We’re bringing it down.”
Trump has been consistently critical of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and has vowed to end the war that has gone on for more than 18 years. Despite his vow to remove all U.S. troops in the country, however, Trump approved an increase of troops in 2017.
The Taliban has also indicated it would agree to a ceasefire. Defense officials told CNN that the remaining U.S. military presence in the country will be focused on counter-terrorism.
A recent report of the efficacy of the war in Afghanistan has also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the troops remaining.
