Bagram Handover Marks Milestone as US Withdrawal Nears Completion
US troops have officially vacated Bagram Airbase, marking the end of nearly 20 years of American military presence in Afghanistan. The handover of the sprawling base to Afghan security forces paves the way for the complete withdrawal of US forces from the country, just months before the 20th anniversary of the US-led operation that ousted the Taliban in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
However, the departure of American troops was marred by poor coordination. A gap in the handover left the base vulnerable, with looters taking advantage of the situation to ransack parts of Bagram. Local officials expressed dissatisfaction with the disorganised exit. “Unfortunately, the Americans left without any coordination with Bagram district officials or the governor’s office,” said Darwaish Raufi, the district administrator.
The Pentagon confirmed that General Austin Miller, the outgoing US force commander, would formally transfer his responsibilities to General Kenneth McKenzie, head of US Central Command, later this month.
