KABUL - U.S. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that American troops would remain in Afghanistan for several more years.
In an interview with ABC, an American television network, on November 10, Milley said that the U.S. forces will make sure that the country never again would be a haven for extremists who would attack the United States.
“That mission is not yet complete,” the U.S. four-star general said. “In order for that mission to be successful the government of Afghanistan, the Afghan security forces, are going to have to be able to sustain their own internal security to prevent terrorists using their territory to attack other countries, especially the United States.”
The Office of Afghanistan’s National Security Council (ONSC) said on Monday that Afghan national and defense forces are ready to combat terrorists, even without the support of the international community.
“We support a joint combat against terrorists, but we reaffirm to continue our counter-terrorism operations alone, even if the international community stop their support,” said Kabir Haqmal, Spokesperson of the ONSC.
Responding to comments made by U.S. chief of staff, the Taliban insurgent group, in a statement, said that the U.S. will remain unsuccessful as the past eighteen years.
“Comments by American generals about maintaining occupying forces in Afghanistan only serves to expose the conflicting, nervous and weak policy of the United States,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Taliban vows to continue attacking U.S. forces until the complete end of the occupation. (ATN)