US to keep 650 troops in Afghanistan to protect diplomats from insurgent attacks

America will keep roughly 650 troops in Afghanistan to secure diplomats after the main US force completes its withdrawal in the coming days.

The bulk of some 4,000 American troops in the country in recent months will be gone as early as the first week of July.

Several hundred other American forces will remain at Kabul airport, helping Turkish troops until they can set up a more permanent Turkey-led security operation, Associated Press reported.

Details of America’s future posture in the country were disclosed as Ashraf Ghani, the embattled Afghan president, visited Washington to discuss details of future US support.

The Afghan premier arrived following a string of Taliban battlefield gains that have raised alarm his government will quickly lose more territory as Washington departs.

America is expected to pledge more money and support to the Afghan government, while Mr Ghani will hope to use the trip to reassure his support base that the country is not being abandoned.

“At a time when morale is incredibly shaky and things are going downhill, anything one can do to help shore up morale and shore up the government is worth doing,” said Ronald Neumann, a former US ambassador to Kabul. “Inviting Ghani here is a pretty strong sign that we’re backing him.”

Mr Biden has asked Congress to approve $3.3bn (£2.8bn) in security assistance next year and is sending 3 million vaccine doses to help Afghanistan battle Covid-19.

Washington will also urge Mr Ghani and his long-standing rival, Abdullah Abdullah, “to be a united front” against the Taliban. Mr Biden is also expected to reaffirm support for negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban, though analysts say talks have stalled while the militants press their offensive.

American officials have been clear however that the troop withdrawal will not be reversed, with a final deadline of September still in place.