"This base transfer occurred amid force protection concerns sparked by escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and its proxy militias, which CJTF-OIR said led to an acceleration of the long-term transfer plan."
The cancellation of the remainder of the exercise is the latest in a string of U.S. and joint training events that have been canceled or scaled back as a result of COVID-19.
While alarming, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, U.S. Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters said unsafe intercepts between NATO and Russian aircraft have decreased over the past two years, and are in most cases safe.
“Our initial and current assessment is that the RPA [remotely piloted aircraft] was lost due to mechanical failure. We do not believe the RPA was lost as a result of any hostile action."
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Taliban were honoring the agreement in terms of “not attacking U.S. and coalition forces, but not in terms of sustaining a reduction of violence."
“We had a good conversation. We’ve agreed there is no violence. We don’t want violence. But we’ll see what happens. They are dealing with Afghanistan. We had a very good talk with the leader of the Taliban,” Trump said on the South Lawn of the White House.