WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday said there must be an immediate reduction of violence in Afghanistan, adding there had been no decision yet on the future of U.S. troops in the country.
“I urge all parties to choose the path towards peace. The violence must decrease, now,” Austin told reporters.
President Joe Biden’s administration is conducting a review of a February 2020 deal with the Taliban that is expected to determine whether it will meet the deadline to withdraw the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops from America’s longest war.
“No matter what the outcome of our review, the United States will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Austin added.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese)
