NATO Secretary General Supports US Move to Keep Troops in Afghanistan

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that he welcomes the decision of US President Barack Obama to keep troops in Afghanistan.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday he supports the US keeping troops in Afghanistan.

The US-led NATO combat force withdrew from Afghanistan in December 2014 after a 14-year occupation. Earlier in the day, US President Barack Obama announced that Washington would maintain 5,500 troops at a small number of Afghan bases including at Bagram, Jalalabad in the east, and Kandahar in the south after 2016.

"I welcome @BarackObama's announcement on US troops in Afghanistan. Demonstrates continued commitment by #NATO Allies and our partners," Stoltenberg said on Twitter.

I welcome @BarackObama's announcement on US troops in Afghanistan. Demonstrates continued commitment by #NATO Allies and our partners.

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) October 15, 2015

Obama said that the US mission in the country would not change, and the troops would focus on training the Afghans and on counter-terrorism operations.

The United States originally planned to end its military presence in Afghanistan by December 2016, closing the remaining bases in the country.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters last week that the United States was considering different options for adjusting its military presence in Afghanistan in 2016 and beyond.

Militant groups including Islamic State, the Taliban and al-Qaeda are currently operating in Afghanistan.