Italy Completes Troop Exit from Afghanistan

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Following his German counterpart's footsteps, Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini declared on Wednesday that Italy had completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Guerini issued a statement saying, "Last night, the Italian operation in Afghanistan formally ended."

"However, the international community's responsibility to Afghanistan does not end here, beginning with Italy. It will take on new shapes in the future, ranging from boosting development cooperation to assisting Afghanistan, "he added.

50,000 Italian soldiers have been deployed to Afghanistan during the last 20 years, according to the ministry.

During that time, 53 soldiers were killed, and 723 were injured.

Along with the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Germany, Italy was one of the five most involved in Afghanistan as part of "Resolute Support."

This NATO-led mission aimed to train Afghan forces into ensuring their country's security after the departure of foreign troops.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai believed that NATO's 20-year mission in Afghanistan had "failed" and had contributed to the spread of extremism and terrorism.

In early May, US forces began to withdraw officially from Afghanistan and deliver its bases to the Afghan army, which was expected to be completed by September 11.

The Pentagon claimed ,in late May, that the percentage of American forces retreating from the US was between 16 and 25%.