WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama announced earlier on Thursday that 9,800 US troops would remain in Afghanistan through most of 2016, before dropping to 5,500 US troops by the end of his term in office in 2016.
"The American forces are necessary to stay for some period of time, in view of what is going on right now these days," Solana told Sputnik on Thursday.
The US announcement was followed by a statement of support from NATO, which may also keep forces in Afghanistan.
In recent months, the Afghan government has been faced with a resurgent Taliban and the spread of the Islamic State to multiple provinces.
Javier Solana served as NATO Secretary General from 1995 to 1999.
