NATO Confirms Sending More Troops To Afghanistan

NATO chief says the allies have agreed to send more troops to Afghanistan, to train, assist and advise Afghan security forces in the fight against terrorist groups.

“Our military authorities have requested a few thousand more troops for the Mission in Afghanistan and today, I can confirm we will increase our presence in Afghanistan,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference on Thursday.

Secretary General added that “15 nations have already pledged additional contributions to Resolute Support mission”.

He continued that he is expecting further announcements from other NATO partners at a meeting of the military alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels later Thursday.

UK has promised around 100 additional non-combat troops to Afghanistan.

Stoltenberg emphasized that the increase does not mean that the alliance will once again fight the insurgent groups in Afghanistan.

“NATO has ended its combat operation in Afghanistan. What we do now is not to conduct combat operations but to help the Afghans fight and to help the Afghans take full responsibility for the security,” he stated.

He further said they will work especially on three areas in Afghanistan which are strengthening the Afghan special operation forces, supporting the development of the Afghan air force and leadership and education of officers.

In response to a question about the U.S. decision on Afghanistan, he concluded: “All NATO allies, including the United States of course, can strengthen and make sure that we have a sufficient number of troops in the NATO mission to continue to support the Afghans and to make sure we are able to break the stalemate so we can make advances on the battlefield which will then pave the ground for a political solution.”