CHP urges government to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

ANKARA

Turkey should immediately pull back all of its troops and policemen from Afghanistan, the leader of the main opposition party has urged.

“I am calling on the government: Pull back our soldiers and policemen from Afghanistan. Our troops serve only for the interests of our people,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), said on Twitter late Aug. 15.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s message came as Taliban took control of Kabul and across the country over the weekend, causing a big panic and chaos in the capital city. Turkey has around 500 troops deployed at the Kabul international airport and was in talks with the United States for the continuation of this mission after the withdrawal of NATO.

“We are not going to sacrifice our troops where others fled without looking back. Personal promises given at informal tables have no validity,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu argued that the West will likely engage with President Erdoğan to avoid the risk of a new refugee influx from Afghanistan and prefer his victory in the coming elections. “We will not allow this. He has to take the people’s consent before the negotiations [with the West]. Let’s go to polls,” stressed Kılıçdaroğlu.