650 US Troops to Remain in Afghanistan after Complete Pullout

The US was supposed to completely pull out by May 1, but later unilaterally extended the deadline to September 11.

According to reports, the main American force in Afghanistan will complete its withdrawal in the next two weeks, but several hundred troops will remain as part of a security detail, particularly at the US embassy and at Kabul airport, the latter of which is presently guarded by Turkish troops. 

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday that Ankara would not send any more troops to defend Kabul airport, but US Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, seemed confident a deal would soon be reached.

"I feel very comfortable that security at the Kabul airport will be maintained and the Turks will be a part of that," he stated. 

Meanwhile, reports underscored that Washington had agreed to leave behind a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar [C-RAM] system, an adaptation of the naval Close-In Weapon System [CIWS] used to intercept projectiles at close range with a high volume of fire. A C-RAM also guards the Green Zone in central Baghdad, where the US embassy in Iraq is located.

In February 2020, the US concluded a deal with the Taliban in which the militant group agreed to forego terrorist tactics in exchange for a ceasefire with the US and the total withdrawal of US forces from the country. 

Washington has also prepared to evacuate potentially tens of thousands of Afghans who aided the US occupation as they leave. They include interpreters, drivers, security guards, embassy clerks, and engineers, among others. A very low limit on immigration from Afghanistan set by the Trump administration has created a lengthy backlog, forcing thousands of applications to be expedited over fears they could become targets of violence after US forces leave.