Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell, the deputy commander of Resolute Support, said there is a need for further military and financial pressures on the Taliban and other terrorist groups during this winter.

The Resolute Support deputy commander said the NATO and US forces will continue to support their Afghan partners during the winter in order to make the insurgent groups to quit violence and join the peace process. 

He made the remarks at a ceremony on end of a Resolute Support commander in the wet zone on Friday.

“We arrived at a challenging time, but progress is being made. Together with our Afghan partners we continue to press the enemy throughout the winter applying financial and social pressure as well as military affects,” the Resolute Support deputy commander said.

According to him, the size of the Afghan Special Force and the Air Force will be doubled next year.

At the same event, Italy’s Ambassador in Kabul Roberto Cantone said his country continues to support Afghanistan. 

“(Our efforts) continue with the responsibility of training, advising and assistance operations within Resolute Support mission and will continue in the future with the new initiatives for the development of the region in the field of infrastructures, health and education among other,” he said.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials called the role of NATO forces, including Italian soldiers, important for Afghan forces on the battlegrounds and in trainings.

“The support of the Resolute Support mission is 100 percent required for the Afghan security forces in order to fight the enemies of this country together,” said Gen. Mohammad Juma Adil, Commander of 606 Zone of Police in the province.