Putin: Only result of US war in Afghanistan has been 'tragedies, losses'

Russia's President Vladimir Putin says the outcome of the United States' 20-year war and occupation in Afghanistan has been nothing but "tragedies and losses," shortly after all US forces withdrew from the country.

"The result was zero, if not to say that everything turned negative," Putin said during a meeting with of students in the pacific port city of Vladivostok on Wednesday.

"For 20 years, American troops had been on this [Afghan] territory and for 20 years they tried — one can say this without offending anyone — to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society," he said, according to Sputnik News.

The Russian president said "tragedies and losses [...] pertaining to the US and especially those who live in Afghanistan" were the only results of this nearly 20-year presence.

"If someone does something in relation to others, they should proceed from the history, culture, and philosophy of life of these people in the broadest sense, as well as respect for their traditions," he added.

Putin said, "It is impossible to impose anything from the outside," and added that "the situation needs to mature, and if someone wants it to mature faster and better — then you need to help people."

He then explained that such assistance should be rendered "in a civilized manner, carefully and slowly," stressing that "without taking all these factors into account, including historical ones, it is almost impossible to achieve anything positive."

Putin's remarks followed the official announcement by the US military of the completion of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden boasted that the messy evacuation had been an "extraordinary success," despite mounting criticism of the hasty pullout operation, which left behind many US nationals and many more Afghans who had collaborated with US forces and now desperately sought to exit the country.

On Tuesday, the Taliban and their supporters celebrated their triumph against the US and the group's total return to power in several cities across Afghanistan.

Taliban, supporters celebrate defeating 'superpower' US

The Taliban and their supporters celebrate defeating the United States and the group

Images shared online showed the militants walking through the Kabul airport and celebrating their victory as they fired their guns into the air.

The United States fully withdrew its forces from Afghanistan before the Taliban's August 31 deadline to officially end 20 years of war and occupation on Monday.

Forces of the former Soviet Union also invaded Afghanistan in 1979 but were similarly forced to withdraw after 10 years of fierce resistance from local and some foreign militia forces.

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