UK Defence Committee chair accuses NATO of abandoning Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee, has alleged that the troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan in August has led to the West abandoning the country. Speaking to Sky News, Ellwood has claimed that NATO 'gave up' on Afghanistan and did not commit to seeing their mission in the war-ravaged nation. He made the remarks after the committee heard evidence presented by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in the inquiry into incidents that occurred in Afghanistan. 

Tobias Ellwood on troop withdrawal

While speaking to Sky News after evidence presented by Ben Wallace, Ellwood informed that the response by Wallace was that they did not have the 'determination' to see the mission through in Afghanistan. Furthermore, he alleged that the withdrawal was related to the American election. He said that US President Joe Biden and former US President Donald Trump, both wanted to give out the message to the Americans to bring home troops from Afghanistan. 

Ellwood questioned the purpose of NATO, saying that if it is unable to function without the US. He expressed concern about the relation between the US and Britain as the Americans did not inform the UK authorities about what they were planning to do. He highlighted that the US authorities in 2001 had committed to fight terrorists and what were they now doing with their resolution. 

While speaking to a House of Commons Defence Committee into the withdrawal of UK troops, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace acknowledged that the "resolve" of the West was the reason for the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, according to AP. He added that NATO was present in Afghanistan to enable "political campaign" and "that is what failed", according to AP. Furthermore, Wallace informed that NATO had previously decided on troops withdrawal from Afghanistan after former US President Trump had an agreement with the Taliban in 2020. 

Taliban enter Afghanistan capital

It should be mentioned here that as soon as the Taliban took control of the capital city on August 15, Afghanistan descended into chaos. Several government officials and legislators, including the country's former President Ashraf Ghani, fled the country on Sunday. Panic and chaotic scenes were witnessed at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport as people rushed to leave the war-ravaged nation. 

(Inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)