Afghan Lawmakers Voice Alarm On Air Force As US Withdrawal Nears

In virtual talks this week with the US Congress, an Afghan delegation said it appealed for quick action on aircraft maintenance and munitions supplies as President Joe Biden prepares to end America's longest-ever war by the end of next month.

Afghan lawmakers on Friday voiced alarm that their air force was depleted in the face of a Taliban offensive, as they asked the United States to finalize assistance ahead of a troop withdrawal. In virtual talks this week with the US Congress, an Afghan delegation said it appealed for quick action on aircraft maintenance and munitions supplies as President Joe Biden prepares to end America's longest-ever war by the end of next month. Biden raised the issue during a phone conversation with his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani on Friday, the White House said in a statement. The US president affirmed his country's continued military support of Kabul, with spending for Afghanistan prioritized in the 2022 defense budget, currently under negotiation in Congress.