General Scott Miller has served as America’s top commander in Afghanistan since 2018. The handover took place in the heavily fortified Resolute Support headquarters in the heart of Kabul, at a time of rapid territorial gains by Taliban insurgents across Afghanistan. In a flag-passing ceremony, Gen Miller remembered the US and Nato troops killed in the nearly 20-year war as well as the thousands of Afghans who lost their lives. The outgoing commander said he has told Taliban officials “it’s important that the military sides set the conditions for a peaceful and political settlement in Afghanistan. The conditions under which such strikes might be used are not clear, nor is it known for how long Gen McKenzie will keep the strike authority.

Source: Irish Independent July 12, 2021 13:35 UTC