Troop Drawdown to 4000 in Afghanistan planned

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper says the United States is planning to cut back its troop levels in Afghanistan to “a number less than 5,000” by the end of November. RFE/RL Reporting

Esper made the remark in an interview with Fox News that was broadcast on August 8. His remarks add detail to troop reduction plans that U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier in the week.

The United States currently has about 8,600 troops in Afghanistan. Trump said in an interview released on August 3 by Axios that the United States planned to lower that number to about 4,000.

The United States will draw down U.S. troops in Afghanistan by roughly half before the November presidential election, President Donald Trump said in an interview with Axios.

“It’s already planned. We’ll be down now in a very short period of time to 8,000; then we’re going to be down to 4,000,” Trump told Axios’ Jonathan Swan in an July 28 interview. Asked specifically how many troops would remain in Afghanistan by the time of the election on Nov. 3, the president said, “Probably anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000.”

“The agreement calls for additional conditions-based troop withdrawals as the peace process evolves,” a Defense Department spokesman told Axios. “The President’s direction on the issue has been clear, and the Department is moving to effectively implement that guidance in consultation with Congress and in close coordination with our NATO and partner nations.” 

The drawdown has been planned for months as in this previous feature: