The airbase was handed over to the Afghan National Security and Defense Force, the US officials said.

United States combat forces are scheduled to be withdrawn from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021. U.S. forces invaded and occupied the country in 2001 following the September 11 attacks, with the resulting war becoming the United States' longest military engagement.

On February 29, 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement titled the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan with provisions including the withdrawal of all regular American and NATO troops from Afghanistan, a Taliban pledge to prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control, and talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The deal was supported by Pakistan, Russia, and China and unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.

The Trump administration agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 by July 2020, followed by a full withdrawal by 1 May 2021 if the Taliban kept its commitments.

The Biden administration announced in April 2021 that it would continue the withdrawal, with an expected completion date by 11 September 2021. (ILKHA)