4,000 US troops to leave Afghanistan: Report

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The U.S. is planning to withdraw some 4,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Voice of America reported, citing Afghan officials.

The withdrawal could start around three months from now under "a mutual understanding between the two allied nations,” said the U.S.-funded outlet, citing Dawa Khan Meenapal, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Other U.S. media outlets said the troop withdrawal could be announced as early as next week.

President Donald Trump previously stressed his intention to reduce the troop presence in Afghanistan, where 12,000-13,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in the nation’s longest-running war.

"We're going down to 8,600 and then we make a determination from there as to what happens," Trump told Fox News Radio in August. "We're bringing it down."

In early September, Trump declared the peace talks with the Taliban "dead" following an attack in the capital Kabul which killed a dozen people, including a U.S. service member.

But during a surprise late November visit to troops in Afghanistan, Trump said talks had resumed.

"The Taliban wants to make a deal, and we’re meeting with them," he said.