BRUSSELS, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — NATO leaders agreed Monday to maintain funding for Kabul’s civilian airport after their military mission in the country ends later this year.
“Recognising its importance to an enduring diplomatic and international presence, as well as to Afghanistan’s connectivity with the world, NATO will provide transitional funding to ensure continued functioning of Hamid Karzai International Airport,” a NATO summit statement said.
They said the alliance will “continue to provide training and financial support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces” and that the alliance will “retain a Senior Civilian Representative’s Office in Kabul to continue diplomatic engagement and enhance our partnership with Afghanistan.”
Spiraling violence and stalled peace talks between the Taliban and the Western-backed government in Kabul have cast further uncertainty over the future of war-torn Afghanistan once U.S.-led international forces leave the country by Sept 11. — NNN-AGENCIES
NATO leaders are yet to agree on who would run Kabul’s international airport following the troop withdrawal of the United States-led coalition from Afghanistan, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, adding that Turkey would play a key role.
Ankara’s offer to secure Kabul airport after NATO troops leave was among the key issues expected to be discussed during Biden’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The final statement did not mention Turkey’s role at the airport but did stress that the alliance would continue to pay to keep the facility open.
After two decades of war, forces from 36 countries involved in NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan are set to pull out of the country in coordination with the U.S. troop withdrawal by Sept. 11.
Around 7,000 non-U.S. forces, mainly from NATO countries but also from Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, outnumber the 2,500 U.S. troops left in Afghanistan.
The final exit of foreign forces comes amid a surge in fighting between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces in several provinces.
Fears the Taliban could overrun Afghanistan’s battered security forces, which have relied heavily on NATO support, intelligence and logistics – particularly U.S. air support – have been heightened in recent weeks as the insurgents have launched major offensives, seizing districts and overrunning military bases.
Meanwhile, Afghan government forces abandoned or were pushed out of six district centers across the country in the past 24 hours, as Taliban militants gain more ground, local officials confirmed.
The fallen districts are Obe in Herat, Saghar in Ghor, Sayad in Sar-e Pul, Arghandab in Zabul, and the Lash-e Juwayn and Pusht-e Road districts in Farah provinces.
In addition to the six fallen districts, Khan Abad district in Kunduz was briefly captured by the insurgents Monday, but security forces retook it.
The militants have seen a string of gains recently. Since the beginning of the official withdrawal of the U.S. and other NATO troops on May 1, at least 23 districts have fallen to the Taliban.
Afghanistan has 34 provinces and around 400 districts. District centers serve as secondary-level administrative units, one level below the provinces.
A source within the government says that the evacuation of nonstrategic districts, bases and checkpoints are aimed to protect key cities and districts from collapse. However, concerns are growing about the capability of security forces following a complete withdrawal of international forces.
Last week, the U.S. Central Command estimated that it had completed more than 50% of the withdrawal process.
According to a United Nations report, the Taliban was able to capture five districts last year, four of which were recaptured by the government within several days. — NNN-AGENCIES
