CENTCOM Commander Says War In Afghanistan Not Over, But US No Longer Party To It

The conflict in Afghanistan has not ceased, but the United States is no longer a party to that conflict, Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Kenneth McKenzie said in a congressional testimony on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2021) The conflict in Afghanistan has not ceased, but the United States is no longer a party to that conflict, Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Kenneth McKenzie said in a congressional testimony on Wednesday.

"I believe the war in Afghanistan is not over. I believe we are not a party to that war," McKenzie told a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In early August, the Taliban (banned in Russia) stepped up their offensive against the Afghan government forces and entered the capital city of Kabul on August 15. The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan was completed on August 31 as per an agreement with the Taliban, ending the nearly 20-year US military presence in the country.

On September 6, the Taliban announced that the last resisting province, Panjshir, had come under their control and shortly thereafter announced the composition of the new interim government of Afghanistan.

The international community has so far been hesitant about establishing relations with the Taliban as the governing party in Afghanistan. However, numerous countries have established some form of communication with the Taliban to ensure safe evacuation of their citizens from Afghanistan and the allocation of humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the terror group's takeover.