Acting defense chief visits Afghanistan during troop pullout
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet with top leaders
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Tuesday, meeting top leaders during the American troop withdrawal.
The Pentagon said Miller met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in the country. Miller’s stop in Kabul is the second visit by senior defense officials in the last week.
Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was there Wednesday to meet with Afghan and military leaders and discuss growing concerns about increased Taliban attacks on Afghan forces.
Under the so-called Doha agreement signed in February by the United States and the Taliban, the Trump administration agreed to a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops going down to zero troops by May 2021 if the agreement’s conditions are upheld. One condition is a reduction in violence by the Taliban, leading to a nationwide ceasefire. The Taliban also agreed to begin peace negotiations with the Afghan government, which are in an early stage.
The acting Pentagon chief last month announced the latest revision to President Donald Trump's plan to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan, saying the number will drop to 2,500 by Jan. 15, just days before Joe Biden is sworn in as Trump’s successor. There are now about 4,000 U.S. troops in the country, and military leaders say they will reach the 2,500 target on time.
The Pentagon said the acting secretary met his military leaders to discuss the Taliban violence and the continuing U.S. mission there. He also met service members at several locations “to thank them and acknowledge their sacrifice of being away from their families during a difficult holiday season,” the Pentagon said.
Miller also made stops at two Air Force bases in Britain on Monday. He visited U.S. troops and military leaders at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. At Lakenheath he also received updates on COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccinations.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.