Report: UK to Follow US Pullout from Afghanistan
Britain is preparing to follow the United States in pulling its troops
out of Afghanistan by September, according to a report Wednesday that was not
denied by the government.
"We are working closely
with the US, NATO allies and partners to support a secure and stable
Afghanistan," a government spokesman told AFP in response to the report by
The Times newspaper.
"Any change to our
security presence will be made in agreement with allies and after consultation
with our partners."
President Joe Biden plans to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan
before this year's 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, finally ending
America's longest war despite mounting fears of a Taliban victory, according to
US officials.
The Times said that Britain would follow suit in withdrawing its roughly
750 troops, citing sources as saying "they would struggle without American
support because of a reliance on US bases and infrastructure.”
At its peak, the UK troop deployment in Afghanistan numbered nearly
10,000, but is now largely confined to security duties in the capital Kabul.
Britain has also drawn up plans to hand over control to the Afghan
government of a military academy in Kabul dubbed "Sandhurst in the Sand,”
The Times said.
