Australian Prime Minister: "All Australian Troops Stationed in Afghanistan to Withdraw by September"

Withdrawal Plan Aligned with US Troop Withdrawal Schedule by September
Approximately 80 Troops Remaining...41 Deaths Over 20 Years

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australian troops stationed in Afghanistan will also be withdrawn by September this year, in line with the US military withdrawal schedule. Currently, about 80 Australian troops remain in Afghanistan, and it is known that 41 have died in the Afghan war so far.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press, on the 15th, Prime Minister Morrison stated during a visit to Perth in western Australia, "Together with the United States and other allies, we will withdraw all remaining troops from Afghanistan by September." He added, "Australia has been steadily fighting to weaken terrorist groups in Afghanistan over the past 20 years." Earlier, US President Joe Biden announced that all US troops stationed in Afghanistan would be withdrawn by September 11, and it is interpreted that the Australian government plans to withdraw troops by September in line with the US military's movements.

Since 2001, about 39,000 Australian troops have participated in the Afghan war, of whom 41 lost their lives. On this day, Prime Minister Morrison called out the names of Australian soldiers who died in the Afghan war one by one, paying tribute by saying, "They are proud Australians who sacrificed their lives for strangers."

The number of Australian troops deployed to Afghanistan once exceeded 1,500, but due to continuous troop reductions, it is known that only about 80 remain currently.