WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has informed Congress that American forces will continue to fight those who threaten the viability of the Afghan government. In a letter sent this week to the speaker of the House of Representatives and president Pro Tempore of the Senate, Trump redefined the US mission in Afghanistan from grooming Afghan forces to fighting the insurgents and directly engaging them. Although training, advising and assisting Afghan forces is still top on the list of US military mission in Afghanistan, Trump also underlined other goals some of which had been abandoned by the Obama administration. The Obama administration, while announcing the end of US military operations in Afghanistan, also said that Americans forces would now be largely confined to their bases, training Afghan forces and advising military leaders. The administration also allowed American forces working directly with Afghan troops in combat to call in airstrikes.

Source: Pakistan Today December 16, 2017 10:52 UTC