'US Forces leaving Afghanistan but US isn't,' claims reconcilliation envoy Zalmay Khalizad

The United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Friday cleared the air regarding the country’s movement in Afghanistan. Khalilzad said that the US and NATO forces are leaving Afghanistan but the US is not leaving the country. The special representative added that the country will remain engaged in supporting the peace process in the region.

Zalmay Khalilzad also added that the US will keep supporting the Afghan forces until peace is achieved. "Forces are leaving but the US is not leaving Afghanistan. America will remain engaged. It will support the peace process and security forces of Afghanistan until peace is achieved," Khalilzad said answering queries at a press conference in Uzbekistan.

The envoy went on to explain that the US currently holds an agreement with the Taliban regarding territorial control. "There is an agreement between US and Taliban that did not exist then, that commits Taliban not to allow the territory that they (Taliban) control, and if they became for the future government, for them to prevent not to allow the territory of Afghanistan to be used against the US and its allies by terrorists," he said.

"What we are trying to do now is to get the Afghans close agreement and then there will be a consensus regionally and beyond in support of an outcome," Khalilzad added. The US representative went on to say that a lot has been achieved over the last 20 years. "First of all, Afganistan itself is a very changed place as compared to the past years. Institutions that did not exist earlier exist in the country whether it is institutions of forces, politics, civil society and free press," Khalilzad said.

US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The early decision of the US government withdrawing its forces came in light of an active increase in the Taliban presence in Afghanistan. The withdrawal decision was taken ahead of the US President's deadline of forces completely being evacuated from Afghanistan till September 11. According to US officials, the evacuation should include around 2,500 people for the time period. The withdraw of the US military comes after almost two decades of their deployment in Afghanistan.

IMAGE: AP