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NATO Recommits Support for Afghan Forces

NATO remains firmly committed to its resolute support mission in Afghanistan, the alliance’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said late Wednesday.

He said NATO has decided to retain 13,000 troops in Afghanistan to train, assist and advise Afghan security forces to defeat terrorism and stabilize the war-torn country.

Stoltenberg reiterated NATO’s commitment to Afghanistan during a question-answer session at a pre-ministerial meeting press conference in Brussels.

“NATO has played a key role in the fight against terrorism for many years. We have to remember that our biggest military operation ever, the operation in Afghanistan, is to fight terrorism,” he said.

He added that the foreign troops in Afghanistan were aimed at preventing the country from again becoming a safe-haven for international terrorist groups.

“There are many different international terrorist groups today in Afghanistan and that is the reason why we have decided to continue to stay in Afghanistan with 13,000 troops,” he said. He adding that “best weapon they had in the fight against terrorism was to train and enable local forces to combat the scourge.”

“Thanks to this support from NATO and its partners over many years, we have been able to build up a national army and security forces which are now responsible for security in Afghanistan themselves.”

Stoltenberg added: “I think if there’s any lesson learned from Afghanistan, we should perhaps have started even earlier to train the Afghans enabling them to take over responsibility for the security of the country themselves. We have ended the combat mission, what NATO is doing, is to train, assist and advise. I met with some pilots in the Afghan Air Force and it was great to see them being trained by NATO instructors enabling them to develop their own air force.”

Admitting that the alliance has some shortfalls in their resolute support mission in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg, said “US general Nicholson has pointed to some of them and we will constantly address and follow the situation closely. I discuss this regularly with general Nicholson and this spring we will begin to discuss the future based on a review and assessment of the mission, the challenges and the need for NATO forces in Afghanistan.”

About the deployment of more forces, he said: “We are firmly committed to our Resolute Support Mission and heads of state and government made last year a decision to continue our military presence in Afghanistan.”

However, he insisted that it was a training mission, hoping it would produce results as currently Afghan forces were in charge of security.

NATO Recommits Support for Afghan Forces

Alliance retains 13,000 troops to train local security forces in their fight against terror groups, assures Stoltenberg.

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NATO remains firmly committed to its resolute support mission in Afghanistan, the alliance’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said late Wednesday.

He said NATO has decided to retain 13,000 troops in Afghanistan to train, assist and advise Afghan security forces to defeat terrorism and stabilize the war-torn country.

Stoltenberg reiterated NATO’s commitment to Afghanistan during a question-answer session at a pre-ministerial meeting press conference in Brussels.

“NATO has played a key role in the fight against terrorism for many years. We have to remember that our biggest military operation ever, the operation in Afghanistan, is to fight terrorism,” he said.

He added that the foreign troops in Afghanistan were aimed at preventing the country from again becoming a safe-haven for international terrorist groups.

“There are many different international terrorist groups today in Afghanistan and that is the reason why we have decided to continue to stay in Afghanistan with 13,000 troops,” he said. He adding that “best weapon they had in the fight against terrorism was to train and enable local forces to combat the scourge.”

“Thanks to this support from NATO and its partners over many years, we have been able to build up a national army and security forces which are now responsible for security in Afghanistan themselves.”

Stoltenberg added: “I think if there’s any lesson learned from Afghanistan, we should perhaps have started even earlier to train the Afghans enabling them to take over responsibility for the security of the country themselves. We have ended the combat mission, what NATO is doing, is to train, assist and advise. I met with some pilots in the Afghan Air Force and it was great to see them being trained by NATO instructors enabling them to develop their own air force.”

Admitting that the alliance has some shortfalls in their resolute support mission in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg, said “US general Nicholson has pointed to some of them and we will constantly address and follow the situation closely. I discuss this regularly with general Nicholson and this spring we will begin to discuss the future based on a review and assessment of the mission, the challenges and the need for NATO forces in Afghanistan.”

About the deployment of more forces, he said: “We are firmly committed to our Resolute Support Mission and heads of state and government made last year a decision to continue our military presence in Afghanistan.”

However, he insisted that it was a training mission, hoping it would produce results as currently Afghan forces were in charge of security.

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