US starts withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

The United States has begun officially withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, signalling the conclusion of what President Joe Biden has referred to as "the forever war".

For nearly two decades, the United States and NATO have maintained a presence in Afghanistan, reports the BBC.

However, the withdrawal, which will last until 11 September, comes amid rising violence in Afghanistan, with Afghan security forces on high alert for retaliatory attacks.

The Taliban have confirmed that they are no longer bound by a cease-fire deal not to attack foreign forces.

Foreign forces were supposed to leave by 1 May under an agreement struck last year between the militants and then-President Donald Trump, while the Taliban agreed to refrain from targeting international troops.

According to Reuters, the Taliban has been defending western military bases from rival Islamist groups during this period. This hasn't prevented the Taliban from attacking Afghan security forces and civilians.

However, US President Joe Biden announced last month that some troops will remain until September 11th, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, citing security concerns.

"This breach of principle has opened the way for [Taliban fighters] to take any counter-action it considers necessary against the occupying forces," a Taliban spokesman said.

He also said that Taliban fighters must wait for orders from their leaders before launching attacks. Large-scale attacks could be avoided, according to some experts, if the US set a deadline for withdrawal.

Meanwhile, the United States is faced with the logistical dilemma of preparing and departing. According to the Associated Press, the military is taking inventory and determining what will be shipped back and what will be sold as scrap on Afghan markets.