'US forces' pullout from Afghanistan hasty and irresponsible'

Kabul, June 26 An Afghan political analyst described the US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan as "hasty and irresponsible" that has encouraged the Taliban to step up activities in the war-torn country.

"The US forces' hasty pullout is irresponsible. The hasty and irresponsible pullout of troops has encouraged the Taliban group to step up attacks elsewhere in the country and have captured several districts," Hamidullah Arefi, an observer and editor-in-chief of the state-run English newspaper The Kabul Times, told Xinhua news agency on Friday.

On the excuse of fighting terrorism, the US and its allies invaded Afghanistan 20 years ago to smash the Taliban, Al Qaeda and associated groups but failed to achieve the mission, Arefi noted.

Neither the Taliban nor thr Al Qaeda network has been diminished, the analyst said.

A number of radical groups have existed in the presence of the US-led troops in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.

Arefi made the remarks amid the visit of Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Washington.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, President Ghani met his US counterpart Joe Biden on Friday and discussed matters pertaining mutual interests including Afghanistan's political and military situation after the forces pullout and the intra-Afghan peace process.

Since the start of the U.S.-led forces' pullout from Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has intensified activities and according to its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid the group has overrun more than 70 districts.