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NATO to sustain training mission in Afghanistan

Xinhua, May 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Foreign ministers from NATO member states on Friday agreed to sustain the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan beyond 2016, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced.

While the Afghan forces are benefiting from NATO's training, advice and assistance mission, "Afghanistan continues to face serious security challenges," Stoltenberg said.

"Our military authorities will now address the details of the mission beyond 2016, including in the regions of Afghanistan," Stoltenberg said.

He said NATO's financial support for the Afghan security forces now exceeded 1.4 billion U.S. Dollars. "I am confident that we will be able to announce at the Warsaw Summit firm commitments to continue funding the Afghan forces through the year 2020," Stoltenberg said.

The Resolute Support Mission is a NATO-led mission launched in January 2015 to provide training, advice and assistance for the Afghan security forces and institutions. Approximately 12,000 personnel from NATO allies and partner countries attended the mission.

In December last year, NATO foreign ministers agreed to maintain the current 12,000 troops in Afghanistan through 2016. Endit