U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to withdraw the remaining troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, 20 years to the day after al Qaeda's attacks triggered America's longest war, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to brief the decision to NATO allies in Brussels on Wednesday. Biden may also publicly announce his decision, several sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"After a rigorous policy review, President Biden has decided to draw down the remaining troops in Afghanistan and finally end the U.S. war there after 20 years," a senior administration official told reporters.
Biden's decision would miss a May 1 deadline for withdrawal agreed with Taliban insurgents by his predecessor Donald Trump's administration.