The presence of United States forces in Afghanistan will enhance our ability to continue progress on our two central missions in Afghanistan”, he said, adding “we will continue to work hard together to finish the mission we started.
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The Pentagon chief will also meet USA and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation military commanders in the country during his trip, he said.
Some of the USA troops in Afghanistan will serve both missions as opportunities arise, senior administration officials said Saturday.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday, where he will meet senior U.S. military commanders and Afghan leaders including President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
He contrasted that with the USA role a year ago, when Kunduz was briefly captured by the Taliban. In one recent example, the new authorities were applied as Afghan forces attacked the Taliban in the southern district of Maiwand, in Kandahar province, he said. They are concerned that Obama’s plan to reduce current troop levels of 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year would reduce that support too much. “I have confidence in the ability of the Afghan forces to provide for the stability and security that the Afghan people deserve, and I commend them for fighting courageously a year ago during a tough fighting season”.
“Pakistan has a fundamental decision to make”, said Ghani. A USA warplane hunting for a Taliban command center mistakenly bombed a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, killing dozens of patients and hospital staff.
“Pakistan wants peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, which is in favour of Pakistan”, he said, adding that key to Afghan problem lies in restoration of peace therein.
Carter’s trip to Afghanistan followed by less than a week Obama’s announcement that US troop reductions will be slower than planned in the coming months. They will carry out support missions and travel to and from Afghanistan as needed, Nicholson said.
He added “I strongly believe that it is in our national interests, especially after all the blood and treasure we’ve invested in Afghanistan over the years, that we give our Afghan partners the very best opportunity to succeed”. An additional 2,150 United States troops will be focused on counter terrorism operations, he said.
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Carter, who was in Baghdad on Monday, flew into Bagram Air Base near Kabul and later met with Resolute Support Mission Commander Gen. John Nicholson. Roughly 2,150 of the 8,400 USA troops in Afghanistan will support the US counterterrorism mission, dubbed Freedom’s Sentinel, which targets remnants of al-Qaida, pockets of Islamic State fighters and six other terror groups.
