Taliban-US peace deal may have Aussie troops stationed in Afghanistan removed

Australian troops could soon be withdrawn from Afghanistan with a historic peace deal between the Taliban and the US. They also may be thanked depending on discussions at Iraqi Parliament.

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Australian troops could soon be withdrawn from Afghanistan with the historic peace deal between the Taliban and the US signalling a tentative step to an end of the almost two decade long conflict.

And it may not end there, with the Iraqi Parliament holding discussions this week which may lead to Coalition troops being thanked for their training help but then asked to leave.

Australia committed military personal to Afghanistan in October 2001 after the 9/11 Twin Towers terror attack in the US with the ADF having had some form of presence there ever since.

Female “Diggers” Lance Corporal Linda Keefe, 44, Corporal Moira Walker, 27, AND Private Chloe Hunt, 20. Picture: Gary Ramage

Under its current NATO-led train, advise and assist mission the ADF has about 200 personnel in-country, mostly in Kabul and Kandahar as well as stationed with British troops north of the capital in Qargha.

During the almost 19 years of conflict in embattled Afghanistan, 41 Australian troops were killed with another 261 wounded; another Australian was killed while fighting with the British forces.

On the 19th of February 2011, Sapper Jamie Larcombe was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan.

Last week, @AustralianArmy soldiers deployed to Kangaroo Island, Jamie’s hometown, joined the local community at a service to honour his ultimate sacrifice.

Lest we forget. pic.twitter.com/3tkTV7Jt3r

— Linda Reynolds (@lindareynoldswa) February 25, 2020

Overnight US President Donald Trump, who has consistently pledged to end “endless wars”, said he would meet Taliban leaders after he struck a peace deal with the insurgents.

The deal, he said, would see the Taliban agree to full peace and would lead to the US withdrawing one third of its 13,000 troops in the country in the next three months with an eventual full withdrawal in the next 14 months, conditional on peace being maintained.

President Donald Trump. Picture: Carolyn Kaster

“We can’t be the policeman for the world,” Mr Trump said as the historic deal, signed by chief negotiators from the two sides and witnessed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The decision has led to the ADF drawing up plans for a withdrawal of their own, with the deal flagging withdrawal of Coalition forces also within 14 months.

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In a joint statement, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the decision and said Australia supported agreements and processes that would bring peace to Afghanistan after decades of conflict.

Federal Defence Minister Linda Reynolds. Picture: David Mariuz

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Picture: Lukas Coch

“We are proud of the achievements of the Australian Defence Force, diplomats and aid and other officials in Afghanistan over many years, and acknowledge the invaluable service of these men and women, and the resilient support of their families since 2001,” they said.

“We pay our deepest respects to the 41 ADF members killed in action.”

Australian Army soldier Private Jason Knox, a ‘Guardian Angel’, waving to Afghan National Army Officer Academy cadets undergoing training at Camp Qargha during his deployment to Operation Highroad as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

Senator Reynolds added the government would work closely in coming months with NATO allies in Kabul but would not comment directly on withdrawal plans.

She has consistently said the ADF would only remain as long as host nations, Afghanistan and Iraq, continued to invite them to assist in training their troops to put down insurgents, namely the Taliban and al-Qaeda and in Iraq, Islamic State (ISIS).

Australian Army Officer and Deputy Commander headquarters Joint Task Force 633 Brigadier Kathryn Campbell (right) is given a tour of the Afghan Airforce flight line by Director of the Australian component of the Train Advise Assist Command – Air, Royal Australian Air Force Officer Group Captain Terry Deeth at Kabul air base in Afghanistan.

In November last year she significantly announced Australia would cut by half its Task Group Taji deployment to Iraq, following in the US footsteps which also announced a troop draw down and said troop commitment to Afghanistan was also under review.

There are more than 1000 ADF troops in the Middle East.

Australian Army soldier Private Jess Flanagan provides force protection as a ‘Guardian Angel’ for Australian officials travelling outside Headquarters Resolute Support during their deployment to Operation Highroad in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Meanwhile the Iraqi Parliament is this week to discuss a peace deal with Iran-backed militia groups and minor parties, a deal said also to be conditional on Coalition forces leaving the country.

Originally published as Taliban-US peace deal may have Aussie troops stationed in Afghanistan removed