KABUL - U.S-led NATO coalition on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan's security forces and said it will not leave the Afghan forces alone on the battlefield.
As fears grow over the increase in violence seen these past few months and over what lies ahead in next year's fighting season, the U.S-led NATO coalition Resolute Support reaffirmed its commitments to train, advise and assist Afghan forces in their bid to curb Taliban insurgency and to assist with air strikes.
Speaking on Sunday, U.S Army Brig. Gen. Wilson Shoffner from Resolute Support said the coalition was considering a comprehensive review of the planning process as well as the targeting process at all levels of the command chain.
NATO has also said that the alliance will take new initiatives to protect civilians during engagements, adding that the alliance's advisory role and technical support will continue to be given to Afghan troops until sustainable peace and stability is restored in the country.
"We remain committed to working with our Afghan partners to help them build sustainable security in Afghanistan," Shoffner said.
The US forces in Afghanistan faced a major backlash recently following a deadly air strike against a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz province last month. However, U.S officials have said that it will review U.S military support to Afghan troops during the operation so that such an incident is never repeated.
"General Campbell has already directed that all U.S personnel ... receive training on targeting authorities and on the rules of engagement. General Campbell has also directed that we conduct a comprehensive review of our planning process as well as our targeting process at all echelons of command. He has directed a thorough examination of how we develop and how we use no strike lists," he said.
Up to 13,000 NATO soldiers still serve in Afghanistan of which 9,800 of them are US troops.
It is expected that up to 8,000 U.S troops will continue their mission in Afghanistan beyond 2016. (Tolonews)