Defence ministry welcomes Obama’s plan

KABUL’s Ministry of Defence on Thursday welcomed US President Barak Obama’s announcement of pulling out 33,000 US troops from Afghanistan over the next two years, and completing the process by 2014.

Afghan security forces, especially the Afghan National Army (ANA), have the capacity to assume security responsibilities on their own, the ministry said in a statement quoting spokesman Maj. Gen. Zahir Azimi.

He said Afghan forces were ready to take over the responsibility any time. “The Afghan nation will never forget the United States’ assistance in maintaining security, training and equipping Afghan security forces,” Azimi said.

“We are not concerned about operations against militants with the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.”

The Afghan forces would be further strengthened, trained and equipped before the troop drawdown process is completed, the statement said.

mrh/ma/at   

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