Australian PM fights back tears while remembering dead from 20-year war
Australia will end its involvement in the 20-year war in Afghanistan by September, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.
The decision follows Washington’s announcement that it would end its longest war.
Mr Morrison called the move “a significant milestone”.
Australia sent 39,000 troops over the past 20 years as part of US and Nato-led operations against the Taliban and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, but has only 80 support personnel there today.
Mr Morrison choked back tears as he read the names of 41 Australians killed in Afghanistan.
“The loss is great. The sacrifice immense,” he said, halting several times to compose himself, especially when naming Brett Till, 31, a sergeant from his Sydney constituency.
“These brave Australians are among our greatest ever, who have served in the name of freedom.”
While Australia has not had a significant troop presence in Afghanistan in recent years after withdrawing its combat troops in late 2013, the war continues to take a toll and fuel controversy there.
Veterans groups pressured the Australian government into starting an inquiry into a high number of suicides among those who served in the conflict.
The military and police are investigating war crimes allegedly committed by members of elite Special Air Service soldiers in Afghanistan.
Announcing the withdrawal on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden rejected calls to keep forces in place to help resolve grinding internal conflict.
Mr Biden set a deadline for all 2,500 US troops to leave by September 11, exactly 20 years after the Al Qaeda attacks on America that triggered the war.
Nato members said all of their troops would also leave.
“We went to war with clear goals,” Mr Biden said.
Australia sent 39,000 troops over the past 20 years to Afghanistan but has only 80 support personnel there today
“We achieved those objectives.”
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said his country would work with US partners to ensure a smooth transition.
“As we move into the next phase in our partnership, we will continue to work with our US-Nato partners in the ongoing peace efforts,” he said.
“Afghanistan’s proud security and defence forces are fully capable of defending its people and country, which they have been doing all along, and for which the Afghan nation will forever remain grateful.”
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the US decision was specified in an agreement reached in the Qatari capital, Doha.
“If the agreement is adhered to, a pathway to addressing the remaining issues will also be found,” he said.
“If the agreement is breached and foreign forces fail to exit our country on the specified date, problems will certainly be compounded and those who failed to comply with the agreement will be held liable.”
Dr Abdullah Abdullah, who leads the government body expected to guide intra-Afghan negotiations, said it was time Afghans found a way to co-exist after the US decision.
“We believe that there is no winner in Afghan conflicts and we hope the Taliban realise that too,” he said.
Mr Ghani said in 2019 that more than 45,000 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed since he became president in 2014.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan estimates that more than 100,000 civilians have been killed or injured since it began recording civilian casualties in 2009.
Former US president Barack Obama said America must stay engaged diplomatically and through development efforts to support the Afghan people.
“It is time to recognise that we have accomplished all that we can militarily, and that it’s time to bring our remaining troops home,” he said.
“I support President Biden’s bold leadership in building our nation at home and restoring our standing around the world.”