RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

NATO, US to pull out of Afghanistan

After 20 years, American and Allied troops are leaving Afghanistan.

NATO, US to pull out of Afghanistan
NATO, US to pull out of Afghanistan

, 15.04.2021, 13:50

Its official: the United States and their NATO allies will be withdrawing their troops from Afghanistan in a matter of months. The pull-out takes place in the year when the Western world commemorates 2 decades since the terror attacks on the US. 9/11 triggered a massive and prompt military response from an international coalition headed by the US against Al Qaida and the fundamentalist regime in Kabul.



“I believed that our presence in Afghanistan should be focused on the reason we went in the first place. To ensure Afghanistan would not be used as a base from which to attack our homeland again. We did that, president Joe Biden tweeted, one day after Washington announced the decision. He promised that the withdrawal of the US troops by September 1 will not be rushed and asked the Taliban to live up to their commitment not to threaten the US.



To end the countrys longest war, which killed over 2,000 Americans and tens of thousands of Afghans, the Trump administration signed last February in Doha, Qatar, a historic agreement with the Taliban. The deal provided for the withdrawal of all US and foreign troops by May 1, provided that in the future the Taliban would prevent the operation of any terror group in the Afghan territories they control.



NATO will also initiate the orderly, coordinated and deliberate withdrawal of its troops on May 1, reads an official news release issued at the end of a conference call of the defence and foreign ministers of the 30 Allied states. Any Taliban attack on Allied forces during the pull-out will trigger a vigorous response, the Alliance warned.



The countries with the most substantial commitment in Afghanistan at present are the US, Germany, Turkey and Italy. Romania has over 600 troops deployed there. Bucharest was part of the coalition against terrorism ever since the latter was created, and has lost 27 people during such missions in the last 2 decades.



The foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and the defence minister Nicolae Ciucă appreciated the United States approach to the situation in Afghanistan, both in terms of the dialogue and coordination with the Allies, and in terms of encouraging negotiations and the peace process within Afghanistan.



The Romanian officials highlighted Bucharests long-term commitment to the stability and security of Afghanistan, and emphasised the need to take into account the Allies and Afghanistans security interests and the importance of preserving solidarity and unity within NATO.



Minister Ciucă stressed the importance of focusing on the implementation of consistent measures to protect the NATO forces in Afghanistan in the forthcoming period, alongside a coordinated approach to the pull out. He also praised the planning process conducted by the NATO military authorities. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

Photo: Matthew Henry/ unsplash.com
Today in the News Monday, 17 February 2025

Will the cap on energy prices stay on?

  After the energy market was deregulated on January 1, 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Romania was among the European countries...

Will the cap on energy prices stay on?
photo: Hans /pixabay.com
Today in the News Monday, 17 February 2025

Genuine winter in Romania

  The weather conditions in mid-February bring the first spell of genuine winter in several parts of the country. The National Meteorological...

Genuine winter in Romania
photo: Hans /pixabay.com
Today in the News Friday, 14 February 2025

The priorities of Romania’s interim president

Acting as the country’s president for the next 100 days, Ilie Bolojan on Wednesday signed the first decree as head of state, namely to appoint the...

The priorities of Romania’s interim president
Foto: pixabay.com
Today in the News Friday, 14 February 2025

Russian drones crash in Romania

The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest is firmly condemning the latest irresponsible attack of the Russian troops, after two drones with explosive...

Russian drones crash in Romania
Today in the News Thursday, 13 February 2025

Hand-over in the President’s Office

Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday ended his second and final term in office as president of Romania. Senate speaker and National Party leader Ilie Bolojan...

Hand-over in the President’s Office
Today in the News Thursday, 13 February 2025

Organized Crime Report

In 2024, Romania was targeted, along with other European states, by ‘sabotage’ actions and hybrid attacks specific to Russia, with the...

Organized Crime Report
Newsflash Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Corruption Perceptions Index 2024

Romania continues to be among the EU countries with the worst results in combating corruption, according to Transparency International.  ...

Corruption Perceptions Index 2024
Today in the News Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence

Representatives of 58 countries from all continents convened in Paris on Tuesday to endorse a joint statement for “artificial intelligence that is...

Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company