Gen. Nicholson Vows to Work Alongside Afghan Partners for Years

General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan at the commemoration ceremony of the victims of Afghan war, has vowed to end the war’s path, continue and follow the direction of the victims’ goals.

Gen. Nicholson says there are still many serious challenges in Afghanistan that will take years to deal with them.

“This is our longest war in Afghanistan. It is very important that we focus on Afghan war and be involved in, due to the high risks,” said Gen. Nicholson, US top commander in Afghanistan.

Gen. Nicholson also noted about the success, progress and the abilities of Afghan security forces.

“The Afghan security forces were tested, but they prevailed on eight difference occasions. The Taliban attempted to seize cities around Afghanistan, in every single occasion, they were defeated by the Afghan security forces. and this is something that Afghan forces had never been required to do before,” Gen. Nicholson, US top commander in Afghanistan said.

“The Afghan security forces secure about to two third of the population of the country. We have more work to do. The Taliban only control about less than ten percent of the population, the rest of the country is being contested. We are working alongside of our Afghan partners year on year to improve that control of the population.”

Afghanistan embassy in the United States hosted a number of US, Afghan officials and the relatives of the victims to commemorate the victims of Afghan war.

“We are touched by the loss of our diplomat, but everyday tens of  Afghans lose their lives, families are left without their loved ones. And this is not just us, it is also Americans. We all are brothers in arms, we have come together to celebrate that,” said Hamdullah Muheb, Afghan ambassador to US.

Muheb also said about the positive changes, a peaceful and stable Afghanistan in the future.

“Of course, we are dealing with serious problems; Solving such problems take many years. Afghanistan will change into a peaceful, self-sufficient and stable country,  however, the direction is too long,” Muheb added.

In the meantime, the spokesman of White House in his last press conference said that there is still important works to be done and this is the responsibility that the new president will assume.

“The situation in Afghanistan continues to be one of concern and I think the President (Barack Obama) would acknowledge that this is an area where we’ve made important progress that has made the American people safer, but there’s still important work to be done in this region of the world and this is a responsibility that the incoming president will assume,” the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his last daily news conference,” said Josh Earnest, White House spokesman.

This comes as all US officials emphasized that the new elected president will review its foreign policy, specifically toward Afghanistan.

Reported by Nazira Karimi from Washington D.C

Edited by Zack Arya from Kabul