The Taliban has likened the planned withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan to America's pullout from Vietnam, calling it a "declare victory and run" strategy.

A statement from the militant group on Wednesday said the ongoing transfer of security operations from US to Afghan forces was merely a retreat similar to the American withdrawal from South Vietnam prior to the communist victory there in 1975.

American-led NATO troops are scheduled to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, although the US will leave a residual force behind and other NATO countries have pledged continuing support of the Kabul government.