NATO to Detail Aid to Afghanistan Closer to Warsaw Summit

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance intended to announce future support plans for Afghanistan during the upcoming summit.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will decide on assistance measures for conflict-torn Afghanistan later this year, closer to the Warsaw Summit, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday.

Speaking alongside Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, Stoltenberg welcomed the Afghan leader and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah’s acceptance of an invitation to attend NATO’s Warsaw Summit, to be held on July 8-9.

“This will be an opportunity to review our joint efforts, and to deepen the relationship between NATO and Afghanistan even more,” he said, adding that the military alliance continued to provide financial support to the Afghan forces.

The NATO chief noted that the alliance intended to announce future support plans for Afghanistan during the upcoming summit.

“Today, NATO continues to support the Afghan forces with training, advice and assistance through the Resolute Support mission,” Stoltenberg said alongside Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul.

He noted that the Western military alliance would assist Afghan national forces in creating and developing new capabilities, including its air force.

In early December, Stoltenberg said the US-led mission in Afghanistan planned to retain 12,000 troops, over half of them US personnel.

At its peak, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan was more than 130,000 troops strong.

NATO transitioned from its military campaign against the Taliban insurgency to a non-combat operation in Afghanistan on December 31, 2014. The Taliban has since stepped up its activities across a number of Afghan provinces, killing civilians and security officials in regular attacks.