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25-05-2021
Bureau Report
CANBERRA/ KABUL: Australia has said it will shut its embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Friday, as the withdrawal of international troop’s proceeds.
In a statement, Canberra talked of “an increasingly uncertain security environment” in the country.
It said Australian diplomats would visit Afghanistan regularly – but would be based elsewhere in the region.
Afghanistan said it hoped the closure would be “short-lived” and Australia would continue its permanent presence.
“The closure of an embassy is also a cause for concern,” it added in a statement. “One question that may come to the minds of some people is: ‘Why is Australia leaving Afghanistan in such a situation and why did it spend 20 years in this country?'”.
There are fears that the withdrawal of the US-led NATO force could plunge Afghanistan back into a full-scale war.
In April, US President Joe Biden said American troops would leave by 11 September, after 20 years of military involvement in Afghanistan. “It is time to end America’s longest war”, Biden said.
At least 2,500 US troops are part of the 9,600-strong NATO Afghan mission.
Over the past two years, Australia has reduced the number of its troops in Afghanistan from more than 1,500 to about 80.
US and NATO officials have recently said that the Taliban, a hard-line Islamist movement, have so far failed to live up to commitments to reduce violence in Afghanistan.
‘Australia remains committed’
The Australian statement was issued jointly by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Tuesday.
“We will close our Embassy building on 28 May 2021,” the document said, adding that “it is Australia’s expectation that this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit.
“Australia remains committed to the bilateral relationship with Afghanistan, and we will continue to support the stability and development of Afghanistan in concert with other nations.”
The statement did not say where in the region Australian diplomats would be relocated.
