U.S. says withdrawal does not mean it intends to abandon Afghanistan

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday that it is "absolutely not the case" that the United States intends to abandon Afghanistan, despite the planned withdrawal of troops from the country. "Yes, we are withdrawing our military forces ... So, it is absolutely not the case that we intend to abandon Afghanistan."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday that it is "absolutely not the case" that the United States intends to abandon Afghanistan, despite the planned withdrawal of troops from the country.

"Yes, we are withdrawing our military forces ... but we intend to maintain a diplomatic presence in Kabul," Price told a regular news briefing. "That is something that is important to us, given our inherent desire to have a continued partnership with the Afghan government, and crucially, with the Afghan people. So, it is absolutely not the case that we intend to abandon Afghanistan."