US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, weeks before Washington is due to withdraw the last of its troops under a deal struck with the Taliban last year. Last week, US President Joe Biden said that the May 1 deadline, which was decided by his predecessor Donald Trump, would be ‘tough’ to meet, a move that prompted outrage from insurgents. They warned that the US would be ‘responsible for the consequences.’

The Afghan government wants to keep US forces in the nation for as long as possible because of the vital air cover they provide, reports AFP. 

Austin, after talking with the Afghan government, said he would not comment on the deadline of troops withdrawal, adding, “That’s the domain of my boss.”

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He said, “That’s the… decision that the President (Biden) will make at some point in time, in terms of how he wants to approach this going forward.”

Austin’s visit details were kept under wraps for security reasons until after he left. The US Defence Secretary, with his entourage, flew into Afghanistan on a US-liveried aircraft instead of a military plane that usually carries US officials to the war-torn country.

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Asked about the Taliban warning that Washington would face consequences if the deadline wasn’t met, Austin said he was sure US forces could cope.

“I have great confidence that we will protect our troops,” said Austin, referring to General Austin Miller, commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Under the deal signed between the Taliban and Washington, the insurgents pledged to engage in peace talks with Afghan government negotiators, but they have made almost no progress and fighting has only worsened — particularly in rural areas.

Major urban centres are also in the grip of a bloody terror campaign in the form of attacks targeting politicians, civil servants, academics, rights activists, and journalists.

Kabul was the last stop on a whirlwind tour of Asia for the new Pentagon chief, a former career soldier who served in Afghanistan as a division commander from September 2003 until August 2005.