Key Points

The withdrawal ended nearly 20 years of American military presence in Afghanistan and was overseen by then-US President Joe Biden and his national security team in August 2021.

In a memorandum issued on Tuesday, Hegseth said that on August 26, 2021, President Biden's administration led a withdrawal of US military and embassy officials from Afghanistan that led to the deaths of 13 US Service members and 170 civilians in a suicide bombing at the Kabul International Airport's Abbey Gate.

"This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform, and is prudent based on the number of casualties and equipment lost during the execution of this withdrawal operation," read the memo.

He further stated that the Department of Defence had a duty to investigate the operation, as the US administration has an obligation to the American people and to the warfighters who fought in Afghanistan to get the truth.

"Three and a half years ago, the Biden Administration's disastrous and embarrassing withdrawal from Afghanistan led to the deaths of 13 US service members and 170 civilians in a suicide bombing at the Kabul International Airport's Abbey Gate. President Trump promised accountability for what transpired during that military withdrawal, and I am committed to delivering on that promise," Hegseth said in a statement.

The US Defence Secretary directed the Chief Pentagon Spokesperson and Senior Advisor, Sean Parnell, to spearhead a special review panel on the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"Today, I am directing the Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell to convene a Special Review Panel for the Department into the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"Sean Parnell spent 485 days serving in Afghanistan. He was wounded in action along with 85 per cent of his platoon and lost countless friends to the War on Terror. It is fitting that he will lead the effort to reexamine previous Abbey Gate investigations conducted by US Central Command during the Biden Administration," the statement added.

He also highlighted that Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, a combat-decorated Marine officer who spoke out about the Afghanistan withdrawal, and Jerry Dunleavy, an author, journalist, and investigator who helped lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee's investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal, will also serve on the Special Review Panel.

"Sean and his team will look at the facts, examine the sources, interview witnesses, analyse the decision making, and post-mortem the chain of events that led to one of America's darkest moments. Sean and his team will provide updates at appropriate times to keep the American people informed of our findings and any directed actions resulting from our review," the statement concluded.

- IANS