Trump wants to withdraw troops from Afghanistan to avoid coronavirus exposure

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• President Donald Trump told his officials that he wants the US troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan to prevent the forces from potential COVID-19 risks — according to an NBC News report on Monday.
• The Afghan Ministry of Public Health recorded over 1,703 cases and 57 deaths but the US expects that cases were underreported as the actual figures may be at least 10 times higher.
• The US expressed concerns over a potential massive outbreak of COVID-19 in Afghanistan.

In a report by NBC News on Monday, President Donald Trump told his advisers that he wants the US troops to be pulled out from Afghanistan to prevent the servicemen from being exposed to COVID-19.

Two current and one former US official told the news network that the president has asked about withdrawing troops almost daily from the war-town nation. Aside from the belief that they are at risk, Trump’s comments were also triggered his impatience with the slow-moving peace agreement with the Taliban, as reported by his officials.

Voicing out the worries from allies, Congress members and military officials, one senior US official told NBC News that there were various concerns suggesting they could leave Afghanistan — which have been discussed according to a defense official. More likely, the US troops would be convened at bases in one or two areas in Afghanistan, which have deficit health care infrastructure needed to repress diseases like COVID-19.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health recorded over 1,703 cases of infections and 57 fatalities, but the US defense officials anticipate that the data were underreported as the actual figures may be at least 10 times higher than the official tally.

“Afghanistan is going to have a significant coronavirus issue… It hasn’t really manifested yet but it will,” a former senior US official told NBC News.

The US had already started withdrawing some of its troops, which reduced the number to 8,600. Two defense officials said the forces are leaving faster than the appointed time.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Thomas Campbell told NBC News: “U.S. Forces Afghanistan continues to draw down force levels and expects to be at 8,600 U.S. troops in 135 days [mid-July] in accordance with the U.S.-Taliban agreement. USFOR-A remains committed to supporting our Afghan partners throughout the process and maintains the capabilities and authorities necessary to accomplish our objectives.”

The US has expressed concerns on a potential coronavirus uprising in Afghanistan. Aside from its weak health system and testing, it shares border with Iran which also took a major hit from COVID-19.

Source: The Hill