US will not withdraw troops from Afghanistan in haste: Lloyd Austin

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the US will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, reported PTI. Austin added that violence must decrease now in the war-torn country and more progress is needed in the Afghan-led negotiations.

An agreement between the US and the Taliban in February last year called for a permanent ceasefire, peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and withdrawal of all foreign forces by May 1. Currently, there are 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan. 

Austin said, “I told our allies that no matter what the outcome of our review, the US will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan that puts their forces or the alliance’s reputation at risk. At this time, no decisions about our future force posture have been made.”

According to Austin, Biden administration is committed to a responsible and sustainable end to the war in Afghanistan. It also wants to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups and that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies, and ensuring a just and durable end to the long-running conflict.

He said, “And so, to that end, we are conducting a rigorous interagency review of the situation, including all relevant options, with full consideration of the consequences of any potential course of action. We are mindful of the looming deadlines. But we want to do this methodically and deliberately, and I certainly won’t get ahead of any decisions, nor will I preview the advice that I plan to give to the president.”

He added, “In the meantime, current missions will continue, and of course, commanders have the right and the responsibility to defend themselves and their Afghan partners against attack. As we move forward in our review, we will consult with our NATO allies, our Resolute Support partners, and of course, the government of Afghanistan, and there will be no surprises.”

“We will consult each other and consult together and decide together and act together. And so that was my message over the last two days, and I think it was well-received,” said Austin.