US President Barack Obama has revised plans to reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan.
Washington was initially supposed to reducing the forces to 5,500, but following a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai Obama announced a reversal of the decision, which would leave the number at the current level of 9,800 troops.
“My national security team and I have decided to maintain our posture of 9,800 troops through the end of this year,” said the US president at a joint press conference with his Afghan counterpart.
Based on the revision, the American troops “will continue to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces,” Obama said.
The announcement came after the Afghan president reportedly asked Obama to slow the withdrawal as security forces are bracing for a tough spring fighting season.
Last May, Obama had announced a reduction of forces as he laid out a schedule for ending the 14-year war.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee last month, General John Francis Campbell said there was evidence the ISIL terrorist group was recruiting in Afghanistan and that some Taliban members were declaring allegiance to the Takfiri group.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power but insecurity continues in the country.
According to the website icasualties.org, 3,486 foreign soldiers, including 2,356 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since the war began in October 2001.
NT/NT
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