Poland withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, says president

Former Afghan interpreters hold banners during a protest against US government and NATO in Kabul. Polish president said first batch of troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan tonight. (AP)

• Foreign troops under NATO command will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11
• First troops would return to Poland on Thursday night

WARSAW: Poland will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan at the end of June, President Andrzej Duda said on Thursday, bringing its two-decade presence in the country to an end.
NATO allies agreed in April that foreign troops under NATO command will withdraw from Afghanistan in coordination with a US pull-out by Sept. 11.
“At the end of June, after 20 years, we are ending our military involvement in the largest NATO operation in history,” Duda wrote on Twitter, adding that the first troops would return to Poland on Thursday night.
After withdrawing, the United States and NATO aim to rely on Afghan military and police forces, which they have developed with billions of dollars in funding, to maintain security.