US troops in Afghanistan should be home by Xmas: Trump

Washington, Oct 8 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has hinted that American troops stationed in Afghanistan should be "home by Christmas", following an announcement last month that Washington would withdraw thousands of military personnel from the war-torn country by November.Taking to Twitter late Wednesday night, the President said: "We should have the small remaining number of our brave men and women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas."No were no other details available immediate on Trump's remarks.Last month, Kenneth McKenzie, Commander of the US Central Command, told several media outlets that American troops in Afghanistan would also be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November.In August, Pentagon chief Mark Esper also confirmed that the troops would be lowered to less than 5,000 by the end of November.The previous month, the Pentagon had said that Washington maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the US-Taliban agreement signed in late February.The agreement had called for a full withdrawal of the US military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.Reduction of troops and to pull the country out of "endless wars", have been a part of Trump's re-election campaign promises.The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in American history.
--IANS ksk/