KABUL - The war in Afghanistan was not included in NATO defense ministers meeting for the first time in 13 years. The NATO defense ministers gathered in NATO HQ on Thursday to discuss issues being faced by the alliance including the threat of Islamic extremists and the Russian-backed separatists battling Ukraine’s government forces.

In the meantime, a US official told the Associated Press that Afghanistan was possibly not included in the agenda as the Afghan government has not appointed a new defense minister so far.

The official further added that there was no local minister to provide allies with an update.

The government of national unity introduced Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi as the new defense minister of Afghanistan. However, he could not obtain enough votes from the lawmakers in the Lower House of parliament.

Gen. Karimi was among 18 nominees who were introduced to the Lower House of Parliament late in the month of January.

According to reports the top US commander Gen. John Campbell who is leading the new NATO non-combat mission in Afghanistan was also missing in the meeting.

It is believed that the war has slid down NATO’s priority pole as the alliance formally ended their combat mission in Afghanistan after 13 years in December last year.

More than 12,500 NATO troops are currently stationed in Afghanistan under the NATO-led Resolute Support mission who are mainly focused on building Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) sustainability.

The US defense officials said earlier in December last year that up to 10,800 US troops would remain in Afghanistan for the first few months of 2015 but the drawdown will restart and the number of US troops would be reduced to 5,500 by the end of the same year.

In the meantime the US Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter has he would consider changing the current plans for withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if security conditions worsen. (KP)