Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
WASHINGTON, May 21 (Xinhua) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday ordered the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021.
In a memo, Hegseth said the Defense Department had an obligation to investigate what he described as a disastrous operation that ended with 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide attack at Kabul airport.
“This remains an important step toward restoring the faith and trust of the American people and all those who wear uniform, and is prudent given the number of casualties and equipment lost during the withdrawal operation,” the memo said.
The troop withdrawal, which ended nearly 20 years of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, was overseen by then-President Joseph Biden and his national security team in August 2021. A suicide bomber linked to the Islamic State attacked Kabul’s airport in the final days of the troop withdrawal, killing U.S. troops and Afghans.
P. Hegseth called the withdrawal of troops “catastrophic and shameful.”
Both Hegseth and President Donald Trump have repeatedly criticized the Biden administration’s troop withdrawal efforts. –0–