‘Terrorism threat has moved’ from Afghanistan, says top US envoy

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defends decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, saying Washington needed to focus on China and the pandemic.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has defended the country’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, saying the “terror” threat had moved elsewhere and that Washington needed to refocus resources on challenges such as China and the pandemic. President Joe Biden announced last week that nearly 2,500 US troops would leave Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that triggered America’s longest war. The unconditional withdrawal – four months later than a deadline agreed with the Taliban last year – comes despite a deadlock in peace talks between the armed group and the Afghan government.