Afghan navy officers mentioned the US left Afghanistan’s Bagram airfield after practically 20 years by turning off the facility and slipping into the night time with out notifying the bottom’s new Afghan commander, who searched greater than two hours after the Americans left. of.
Afghanistan’s navy confirmed off the sprawling air base on Monday, offering a uncommon first glimpse of the epicenter of America’s conflict to oust the Taliban and seek out the al-Qaeda perpetrators of the 9/11 assaults on America.
The US introduced on Friday that it had utterly evacuated its largest airspace within the nation forward of a remaining withdrawal the Pentagon says will probably be accomplished by the tip of August.
General Mir Asadullah Kohistani, Bagram’s new commander, mentioned, “We (heard) some rumors that the Americans had left Bagram and finally by 7 in the morning, we understood that it was confirmed that they had already left Bagram. “
US navy spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett cited an announcement final week that didn’t handle the precise complaints of a number of Afghan troopers who had inherited the deserted airfield.
The strategy of handing over a number of of the bases was carried out shortly after President Joe Biden’s announcement in mid-April that the US was withdrawing its remaining forces, the assertion mentioned. Leggett mentioned within the assertion that he had coordinated his departure with the leaders of Afghanistan.
According to Afghan military officers, earlier than Afghan forces may take management of the airfield, about an hour’s drive from the Afghan capital, Kabul, it was attacked by a small drive of robbers, who ransacked barrack after barrack and evicted. Before they rumbled by way of the massive storage tents. .
“At first we thought they might be the Taliban,” mentioned 10-year-old soldier Abdul Rauf. He mentioned the US known as from Kabul airport and mentioned, “We are here at the airport in Kabul.”
Kohistani insisted that Afghan nationwide safety and protection forces may maintain on to the closely fortified base, regardless of the Taliban’s victory on the battlefield. The airfield additionally features a jail with about 5,000 prisoners, a lot of whom are reportedly Taliban.
The newest surge of Taliban comes after US and NATO forces exited the nation. By final week, most NATO troops had already quietly left. The final US troops are prone to stay till an settlement is reached for the safety of Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, which is predicted to be reached by Turkey.
Meanwhile, in northern Afghanistan, district after district has fallen beneath the Taliban. In simply the final two days, tons of of Afghan troopers fled throughout the border into Tajikistan as an alternative of preventing the rebels.
“In a fight it is sometimes a step forward and a few steps back,” Kohistani mentioned.
Kohistani mentioned the Afghan navy was altering its technique to concentrate on strategic districts. He insisted that he would take them once more within the coming days with out explaining how it might be completed.
On show on Monday was an enormous facility, the scale of a small metropolis, used solely by the US and NATO. The sheer measurement is extraordinary, with roadways weaving by way of buildings comparable to barracks and previous hangars. There are two runways and over 100 parking tons for fighters known as rivets due to the blast partitions that shield every plane. One of the 2 runways is 12,000 toes (3,660 m) lengthy and was in-built 2006. There is a passenger lounge, a 50-bed hospital and spacious hangar-sized tents stuffed with provides comparable to furnishings.
Kohistani mentioned the US had left behind 3.5 million objects, all of which had been left behind by the US navy. These embrace hundreds of bottles of water, power drinks and navy ready meals, often known as MREs.
“When you say 3.5 million items, it’s every little item, like every phone, every door knob, every window in every barracks, every door in every barracks,” he mentioned.
The massive tickets left behind embrace hundreds of civilian automobiles, a lot of them with out keys, and tons of of armored automobiles. Kohistani mentioned the US had additionally left small arms and ammunition for them, however the departing troopers took heavy weapons with them. Ammunition was blown off earlier than they left, so as to not go away weapons for the Afghan military.
Afghan troopers who swarmed throughout the bottom on Monday, which as soon as noticed 100,000 US troops, had been deeply important of how the US deserted Bagram, permitting Afghan troops to patrol the perimeter at night time with out telling them. assigned the duty.
“In one night, he lost all the goodwill of 20 years, the way he did, at night, without telling the Afghan soldiers who were patrolling the area,” mentioned Afghan soldier Nematullah, who requested that solely considered one of his be the identify Used.
Within 20 minutes of the US’ silent departure on Friday, the facility was turned off and the bottom plunged into darkness, mentioned Rauf, a 10-year-old soldier who has additionally served in Taliban strongholds in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.
He mentioned that the sudden darkness was like a sign to the robbers. They entered from the north, breaking the primary barrier, ransacking buildings, loading something that was not dropped into vehicles.
On Monday, three days after the US departure, Afghan troopers had been nonetheless gathering rubbish that included empty water bottles, cans and empty power drinks left behind by robbers.
Meanwhile, Kohistani mentioned the practically 20 years of US and NATO involvement in Afghanistan was appreciated, however now’s the time for Afghans to step up.
“We have to solve our problem. We have to secure our country and once again build our country with our own hands.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
