NATO has started the withdrawal of its mission from Afghanistan following a decision by US President Joe Biden to bring US forces home, an alliance official said Thursday.

Axar.az reports citing AFP that members of the US-backed alliance agreed this month to wrap up their 9,600-strong mission in Afghanistan after Biden made the call to end Washington's longest war.

The decision - which delayed by several months a deadline agreed by former US leader Donald Trump - came despite fears it could allow the Taliban to regain power in the country.

"NATO Allies decided in mid-April to start the withdrawal of Resolute Support Mission forces by May 1 and this withdrawal has begun. This will be an orderly, coordinated, and deliberate process," a NATO official told AFP.

The NATO official said the safety of the alliance's troops "will be a top priority every step of the way, and we are taking all necessary measures to keep our personnel from harm".