US troops will have to begin Afghanistan pullout Friday to meet deadline; Taliban says it won’t extend

U.S. officials said Tuesday that the military would have to start pulling out of Afghanistan starting this Friday in order to meet President Biden’s Aug. 31 deadline agreed to by the Taliban. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said during a Tuesday press conference the deadline won't be extended. He also claimed he is "not aware" of any meeting between CIA Director William Burns and Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar but did not deny that such a meeting took place, The Associated Press reported.-- More...