U.S., NATO forces evacuate largest military base in Afghanistan

Kabil (Afghanistan) July3: All U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan have evacuated the Bagram Airfield near the Afghan capital Kabul, handing over the largest coalition base to the Afghan government troops, a spokesperson of the Afghan Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday.
"All coalition and American troops departed from Bagram Air Base last (Thursday) night. The base was handed over to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). The ANDSF will protect base and use it to combat terrorism," spokesperson Fawad Aman wrote on Twitter.
The Bagram Airfield, some 50 km north of Kabul, served as a main U.S. and NATO military base in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
The transfer of the military base came as security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated drastically since May 1 when U.S. and NATO troops started to withdraw from the conflict-torn country.
About 3,500 U.S. forces and 7,000 NATO troops will be withdrawn before Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the United States into war in Afghanistan.
The Taliban group welcomed the U.S. withdrawal from the Bagram Airfield. Purported Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called it a "positive step" in a tweet, urging for the "withdrawal of foreign forces from all parts of the country."
The coalition forces have reportedly handed over most of the nine military bases across Afghanistan to the Afghan side in recent months.
An unknown number of U.S. and NATO forces reportedly remain in a base in central Kabul before all foreign forces leave the country.
Source: Xinhua