US vows continued air support for Afghan forces fighting Taliban – By Al Jazeera and News Agencies (Al Jazeera) / July 25 2021
Top US military commander says air raids will continue to assist Afghan forces amid sweeping Taliban offensive.
The United States will continue to carry out air raids in support of Afghan forces, a senior US military commander has said, amid an increase in attacks by the Taliban ahead of the withdrawal of US and other international troops from Afghanistan.
The Taliban have won a string of battlefield victories in recent weeks as US-led foreign forces are about to complete their pull-out after 20 years in the country.
US President Joe Biden had earlier pledged that all US troops would be out of Afghanistan by September 11 – the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks – but later moved the deadline up to the end of August.
“The United States has increased air strikes in support of Afghan forces over the last several days and we’re prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks,” US Marine General Kenneth McKenzie said during a news conference in the capital Kabul on Sunday.
