Biden ‘can’t picture’ US troops in Afghanistan next year

President Joe Biden gives his clearest signal yet that he would not meet a May 1 deadline to pull out all the US troops.

US President Joe Biden has said he “can’t picture” US troops still being in Afghanistan next year, but did not offer a precise timetable as to when the withdrawal would take place. All eyes are on Washington as Biden decides whether his country will leave the war-torn country by May 1, in line with a deal struck with the Taliban group, or stay put. Under the February 2020 deal negotiated by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump’s administration, the US promised to withdraw all 2,500 US troops left in Afghanistan.