NATO chief says allies to match U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance has agreed to withdraw its roughly 7,000 forces from Afghanistan to match U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to pull all American troops from the country starting on May 1.

Stoltenberg says the full withdrawal will be completed “in months” but is not mentioning the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks set as a goal by Biden.

Stoltenberg revealed the decision shortly Wednesday after Biden formally announced his plans and after meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at NATO headquarters in Brussels.