Brussels – NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, the organisation plans to keep about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan in 2016, despite earlier plans to downsise the force.
NATO had initially planned to have a smaller, civilian led presence take over from its Resolute Support training and advisory mission in Afghanistan.
The fact that the military alliance would proceed with its plans to keep the number of its troops in the country, emerged in September after Taliban fighters temporarily overran the northern city of Kunduz.
“We will make final decisions, but what we are aiming at now is to keep approximately the same force level, around 12,000 troops, also through 2016.
“Almost half of them will be non-US troops and the rest will be US troops and they will be in Kabul and have a regional presence, ‘’Stoltenberg said.
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NATO foreign ministers are due to discuss the alliance’s future role in Afghanistan on Tuesday at the start of a two day meeting in Brussels. (dpa/NAN)
