NATO to boost Afghan training mission: Stoltenberg

KABUL (Pajhwok): NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says experience from Afghanistan shows that strengthening local forces is one of the best tools in the fight against terrorism.

At least 28 allies and partners were increasing their troop contributions to the training mission in Afghanistan, he told a news conference in Brussels.

“We are aiming to have close to 16,000 personnel there this year, up from around 13,000 in 2017,” the secretary-general said ahead of NATO defence ministers’ meeting.

“This is a clear sign of our continued commitment to Afghanistan’s security,” Stoltenberg said, after having pointed out that he expects “that on Thursday, we will agree to start planning for a NATO training mission in Iraq, with the aim of launching the mission at our Summit in July.”

NATO allies are concerned about another open-ended foreign assignment after more than a decade in Afghanistan. France and Germany are reportedly supportive of a larger Iraq mission, but limited in scope.

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