Washington, Sep 11 (UNI) US President Donald Trump on Friday said that US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq would soon be reduced to about 4,000 and 2,000 respectively.
"A lot of progress has been made in Afghanistan, but we will be down to 4,000 soldiers in a very short period of time. Likewise Iraq, we will be down to about 2,000 soldiers in a very short period of time," Trump said during a White House briefing.
The troop reduction plan that Trump revealed today was a step further than the plan the US military announced a day before.
Commander of US Central Command Kenneth McKenzie had said on Wednesday that US troop presence in Iraq is scheduled to be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September, and that in Afghanistan will be decreased to about 4,500 by early November.
In February, US and the Taliban signed an "agreement for bringing peace" to Afghanistan after more than 18 years of conflict. At that time the US and NATO allies agreed to withdraw all troops within 14
months if the militants uphold the deal.
UNI JAL