The United States will to continue to carry out airstrikes to support Afghan forces facing attack from the insurgent Taliban, a regional US commander said on Sunday as US and other international forces have drawn down troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban has escalated its offensive in recent weeks, taking rural districts and surrounding provincial capitals, after US President Joe Biden said in April US troops would be withdrawn by September, ending a 20-year foreign military presence.

US Marine General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie told a news conference in Kabul that the United States has increased airstrikes in support of Afghan forces over the last several days and has prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks.

McKenzie, who leads US Central Command, which controls US forces for a region that includes Afghanistan, declined to say whether U.S. forces would continue airstrikes after the end of their military mission on August 31.

Afghan government and Taliban negotiators have met in Qatar in recent weeks, although diplomats say there have been few signs of substantive process since peace talks began in September.

Source: VOV5