US to maintain 9,800 troops in Afghanistan till 2016 end

October 15, 2015 22:58

Describing the security situation in Afghanistan as "still fragile", President Barack Obama today said the US will maintain its 9,800 troops in the war-torn country by the end of 2016 and thereafter deploy 5,500 troops at a small number of bases.

"Afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be. And meanwhile, the Taliban has made gains, particularly in rural areas, and can still deadly launch attacks in cities, including Kabul," Obama said.

"Pressure from Pakistan has resulted in more Al Qaeda coming into Afghanistan, and we have seen the emergence of an ISIL presence. The bottom line is, in key areas of the country, the security situation is still very fragile. And in some places there is risk of deterioration," he said.

Stating that governance and development remain the foundation for stability and progress in Afghanistan, Obama said the US will continue to support the national unity government as they pursue critical reforms.

He said the American troops would continue with their mission to train Afghan forces in counter-terrorism operations and taking down Al Qaeda until the end of next year.

Also, he said, "instead of going down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul by the end of 2016, we will maintain 5,500 troops, a small number of bases, including at Bagram, Jalalabad in the east, and Kandahar in the south."

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