10 bases shut as U.S. leaves Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. has closed at least 10 bases across this nation since the signing of a deal with the Taliban in February, according to Afghan and U.S. officials, part of a drawdown process so murky that many here say they are uncertain of what’s to come despite a fast-approaching deadline.
The closures are part of the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan outlined in the deal. An Afghan official and a U.S. official confirmed the closure of the bases, several of which were previously unreported. The officials, like others in this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss base closures with the media.
Little is known about what remains of those bases, many in Afghanistan’s most volatile provinces where U.S. support for Afghan operations has been critical in pushing back the Taliban. Some have been completely handed over to Afghan security forces. Others may have been vacated and left in place in a way in which they could be occupied again in the future if U.S. and Afghan officials consider it necessary. It is also unclear how much equipment — more difficult to move than people — is left at each of the closed installations.
In interviews, half a dozen former and current U.S. and Afghan officials said uncertainty still surrounds the plans to bring down troop numbers from roughly 5,000 to 2,500 by Jan. 15, days before President Donald Trump leaves office. The abrupt announcement of the drawdown last week has forced decisionmaking on a shortened timeline.
Despite the drawdown, a second U.S. official said, the U.S. will retain the ability to carry out airstrikes against the Taliban. U.S. troops will also remain able to carry out some counterterrorism strikes against the Islamic State, the official said.
A third U.S. official with knowledge of ongoing discussions said a number of significant decisions are to be made or finalized over the next two weeks.
The decisions will be made in consultation with NATO allies and Afghan partners, the official said.
The drawdown announcement prompted a warning from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who said an abrupt departure risks allowing Afghanistan to become a haven for terrorists.
“We went into Afghanistan together. And when the time is right, we should leave together in a coordinated and orderly way,” he said Nov. 17.
There were hundreds of bases and outposts at the height of the military’s surge a decade ago and dozens in recent years as the military shrunk its presence over time.
Analysts and Afghan officials say further closures show that the U.S. is collapsing its forces in Afghanistan back into its bigger military installations to save on the large number of troops needed to secure the perimeter of multiple small outposts. The move also brings U.S. troops closer to medical facilities as the American footprint in Afghanistan shrinks, and would make it easier to evacuate the country rapidly if security disintegrates.
Of the more than 10 bases closed to date, the shuttering of five was required by the U.S.-Taliban deal during the first 135 days after the signing.
Those initial bases included Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province, Bost in Helmand, Gamberi in Laghman and Lightning in Paktia. Others closed this year include Jones in Kunduz, DeAlencar in Nangahar, Shaheen in Balkh, Bishop in Kabul, Maymana in Faryab and Qalat in Zabul.
It is unclear how many bases remain open in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon has continued to withdraw forces throughout the year despite language in the February deal stating that further withdrawals must be linked to conditions met by the Taliban. The central condition, one that calls on the Taliban to break ties with international terrorists including al-Qaida, has not yet been met, according to testimony by U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and U.N. research papers.