Twenty years later, US troops leave Afghanistan. What awaits the country? – DW

Twenty years later, US troops gathered their suitcases and left Afghanistan’s Bagram airport, official sources have told DW.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, this place was the epicenter of the US war in Afghanistan. According to DW, an anonymous source from the US law enforcement agency said that “all coalition forces have left Bagram.” This week, 19 countries have said they were withdrawing their troops. In total, 4,800 soldiers have already left Afghanistan. Germany and Italy have announced they would end their mission in Afghanistan on Wednesday, and Poland said it would return its troops home. However, DW writes that it is unknown whether the US military base has been transferred to the National Security and Defense Forces of Afghanistan. According to AP, the military base was handed over to them, and according to AFP, this issue is still uncertain. One of Afghan officials has told Reuters that the military base would be officially handed over on Saturday. American General Austin Miller called last news conference earlier this week, during which hew drew a gloomy picture of the security situation in the country. Indicating the many occupied regions, General Miller said that civil war is inevitable if the events continue to develop this way, and this should worry the world.”

Despite the withdrawal of troops, Miller said that in the future the United States might conduct airstrikes at the Taliban, al-Qaeda or other militant groups, such as the Islamic State, but will do it from the military bases outside the country.