{"id":21176,"date":"2021-04-22T20:25:22","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T20:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/04\/22\/us-troops-in-afghanistan-begin-packing-gear-in-pullout-prep\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:03:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:03:48","slug":"us-troops-in-afghanistan-begin-packing-gear-in-pullout-prep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/04\/22\/us-troops-in-afghanistan-begin-packing-gear-in-pullout-prep\/","title":{"rendered":"US military begins shipping equipment in Afghanistan pullout prep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KABUL, Afghanistan \u2014 The U.S. military has begun shipping equipment and winding down contracts with local service providers ahead of the May 1 start of the final phase of its military pullout from Afghanistan, a U.S. Defense Department official said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pullout under U.S. President Joe Biden marks the end of America\u2019s longest war<\/a> after a 20-year military engagement. Currently, some 2,500 U.S. soldiers and about 7,000 allied forces are still in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February last year, the U.S. military began closing its smaller bases. In mid-April, the Biden administration announced that the final phase of the withdrawal would begin May 1 and be completed before Sept. 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, the military has been shipping equipment and winding down local contracts for services such as trash pickup and maintenance work, the U.S. official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with briefing regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\t