In a telephone conversation with his Afghan counterpart, the US Secretary of Defense expressed concern about the escalation of violence by the Taliban and stressed the importance of using the opportunity for peace talks to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan.
The acting head of the Afghan Ministry of Defense, General Bismillah Mohammadi, held a telephone conversation last night (Thursday) with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on military and strategic cooperation between Afghanistan and the United States.
In the phone call, Austin praised the active and prominent role of the Afghan Defense and Security Forces in suppressing terrorists: Washington is committed to long-term cooperation with the Afghan Defense and Security Forces in financing, equipping and training, and we are committed to a sustainable partnership with the Government and people of Afghanistan.
The US Secretary of Defense expressed concern over the escalation of violence by the Taliban and stressed the importance of seizing the opportunity for peace talks to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Mohammadi also praised the US cooperation with the people and government of Afghanistan and the provision of new aircraft to the Afghan Air Force, and stressed the need for continued targeted cooperation between the two countries in the fight against international terrorism.
The remarks come as some US media outlets reported the complete withdrawal of US troops from Bagram Air Base.
A Fox News report quoted a senior US official as saying that all US troops had withdrawn from Bagram Air Base, north of the Afghan capital.