BRUSSELS, April 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday the time has come for international forces to pull out from Afghanistan.
"Together, we went into Afghanistan to deal with those who attacked us and to make sure that Afghanistan would not again become a haven for terrorists who might attack any of us," Blinken said as he arrived at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels.
"Together, we have achieved the goals that we set out to achieve and now it is time to bring our forces home," Blinken said ahead of talks with NATO partners.
U.S. President Joe Biden will address it publicly within hours, Blinken said.
NATO partners are meeting in Brussels as the Biden administration plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan almost 20 years after the U.S. invasion following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Blinken said this is an important moment for the alliance, adding that despite the pull-out, NATO's commitment to Afghanistan and its future will remain. Enditem
