Afghan forces to face tough challenges in 2015: US

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): Afghan security forces face a tough challenge in 2015, a senior Obama administration official said on Tuesday, hoping they would secure the country after the US war in Afghanistan comes to an end on December 31.

“They have a tough challenge, certainly, but it’s something that we are happy the Government of Afghanistan wants us to be a part of and wants us to be there with them,” State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters at her daily news conference.

She said that the path “we are on to bring more American troops home – I think the president has said there are more American troops home with their families this holiday than any time since we’ve taken office, which I think is an extraordinary statement.”

But the US also had a plan to end the war in Afghanistan and bring its soldiers home, while maintaining its relationship with Afghanistan on counterterrorism and training, she explained.

“One of the two responsibilities we will have going forward under the BSA is this training and advising to help the Afghans continue to get on their feet,” she concluded.

rm/mud

Visits: 0