The United States is to extend its military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016, administration officials say.<\/p>\n
President Barack Obama will outline the plans later. They are expected to include keeping 5,500 troops in the country when he leaves office in 2017.<\/p>\n
Originally all but a small embassy-based force were due to leave by the end of next year.<\/p>\n
But the US military says more troops will be needed to help Afghan forces counter a growing Taliban threat.<\/p>\n
The US forces will be stationed in four locations – in Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar.<\/p>\n
A statement from the US National Security Council said the change in policy was the “result of an extensive, months-long review”, and after Mr Obama had consulted “with his full national security team and our Afghan partners”.<\/p>\n
“This announcement in no way changes the fact that our combat mission in Afghanistan has ended, and we will continue to undertake only two narrow missions: counterterrorism and training, advising, and assisting our Afghan partners,” the statement went on.<\/p>\n
There are currently 9,800 US troops stationed in Afghanistan. Last week, the top US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Campbell, said the US must consider boosting its military presence there beyond 2016.<\/p>\n
He was speaking days after the Taliban briefly seized the northern city of Kunduz – their most spectacular military gain since being ousted from power in 2001.<\/p>\n
Afghan government forces battled to retake control of key areas of the city with the aid of US air strikes.<\/p>\n
Gen Campbell expressed concern over the “tenuous security situation” and said an enhanced military presence would be necessary if the Taliban were to be repelled.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The United States is to extend its military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016, administration officials say. President Barack Obama will outline the plans later. They are expected to include keeping 5,500 troops in the country when he leaves office in 2017. Originally all but a small embassy-based force were due to leave by the end […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":159913,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[14],"yoast_head":"\n