Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The US Department of Defense announced that at least 3,000 additional troops were deployed in Afghanistan under the President Trump’s new strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia, Media pool reported.
The Pentagon had previously approved deployment of additional troops in the country to enhance professional capabilities of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Now the number of US troops in the country has been raised to about 14,000. “We have just completed a force flow into Afghanistan,” Joint Staff Director Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie told reported at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on Thursday.
“The New number for Afghanistan is now approximately 14,000. Might be a little above that might be little below that we flex according to the mission,” he added.
In August, the US President Donald Trump outlined his strategy on Afghanistan. In a blatant U-turn from his presidential campaign, Trump said his views have been changed since entering the White House. Trump administration has taken decision to continue military intervention in the country to suppress militant groups in battlefield and force them to negotiation table. The Pentagon has authorized thousands of additional troops requested by the US Gen. John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support forces and US forces in the country. However, Nicholson’s demand list had requested about 16, 000 additional troops. The NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg has repeatedly emphasized on the member country to increase number of troops in Afghanistan. According to media report, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been formally agreed to join US-led NATO war on terror in Afghanistan. The new US strategy on South Asia treated Pakistan as enemy and Afghanistan and India have been recognized as its strategic partners in the region. Following tougher approach on Pakistan, Washington has given another chance to Pakistan and allowed the US military aid for the country in order to turn around its project of terrorism. In the meantime, Nicholson repeatedly said Pakistan still remains stuck to its pro-terror policies and harboring national and international terrorist groups on its soil. Besides increase in troops level, Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process must be given meaningful chance to prevail durable peace and stability in the war-hit country.
