Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

NATO to Train, Assist Afghan Forces After 2014: Spokesman

NATO to Train,  Assist Afghan Forces After 2014: Spokesman

KABUL - The NATO commits to launching a new mission to train, advice and assist the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) after 2014, once the NATO-led foreign troops leave the country, a spokesman said.
"NATO has committed to launching a new mission to train, advice and assist Afghan forces from 2015," NATO civilian representative spokesman, Dominic Medley, told a press briefing.

The NATO defense ministers, following a two-day gathering in Brussels in Belgium, on Wednesday endorsed the broad political framework for a new training mission in Afghanistan after 2014.

"NATO defense ministers and the ministers from potential operational partners concluded the first stage of planning for that new mission. This will guide the military experts as they take the planning process forward," edley said, adding that "it is expected to agree on a detailed outline early next year, and to complete the plan well before the end of 2013."

"This new mission will not be a combat mission. It will be a mission to train, advice and assist," he noted.

NATO continues to train and support the ANSF who are taking increasing responsibility for security and NATO is confident they will be ready by the end of 2014 and capable of securing Afghanistan in the future, he said.

The Afghan forces and NATO troops have completed transition in the first two of five tranches of provinces and districts across the country and after completion of the ongoing phase of the process in a couple of weeks the ANSF will take full control of areas where about 75 percent of the population lives.

A total of 50 countries are contributing 100,000-strong forces in Afghanistan with more than 68,000 of them Americans mainly stationed in the east and south, followed by 9,500 from Britain mainly based in southern Afghanistan. (Bokhdi)