Taliban Warning: US Must Fully Withdraw American Troops By Sept. 11

A spokesman for the Taliban warned that U.S. troops in Afghanistan have to leave by Sept. 11 – the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that launched the United States into the war – after troops were re-deployed to the Kabul airport to oversee an evacuation.

Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban’s political office, told Sky News on Tuesday that “we are committed not to attack them,” but he stressed they have to leave by that date. It’s not clear what will happen if American forces remain in Afghanistan after Sept. 11.

The United States had previously planned to withdraw all its troops by the end of August, but the Pentagon was forced to send thousands of soldiers to the beleaguered country to facilitate evacuations from Kabul, which was quickly captured by the Taliban—considered a terrorist group by many countries—on Sunday.

The Biden administration has faced widespread criticism for how his office handled the pullout and evacuation, with some likening it to previous military failures such as the 1975 fall of Saigon. Meanwhile, the sudden arrival of the Taliban sparked panic and triggered mass waves of people at the Kabul airport, as many hoped they could be airlifted out of Afghanistan. – READ MORE