KABUL (INP): The Taliban has dismissed American plans to send 300 troops to Afghanistan\u2019s southern Helmand province as nothing but \u201csolely to lend morale\u201d to embattled Afghan forces \u201cin hopes they hold out until spring.\u201d
\nThe Islamist insurgency has made advances despite the large presence of U.S.-led foreign forces and \u201cthe arrival of a few hundred troops will not prevent their march,\u201d said a Taliban statement Sunday. It went on to assert that \u201csuch actions are the final failed efforts of (outgoing President Barack) Obama.\u201d
\nThe insurgents have captured most of the districts in Helmand since NATO ended its combat mission, and most U.S. forces withdrew from the largest poppy-growing Afghan province in 2014.
\nWith the help of U.S. air power and military advisers on the ground, the Afghan government has been able in recent months to maintain control over the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, which remains under attack from the Taliban.
\nThe U.S. Marine Corps announced last week it will deploy a task force of 300 personnel to the restive province later this year as part of NATO\u2019s advisory mission in the country.
\n\u201cThe Marine Corps has an operational history in Afghanistan, particularly in Helmand Province\u201d and \u201cwill assist in preserving gains made together with the Afghans,\u201d it said.
\nMeanwhile, a senior American diplomat has assured Afghan leaders that Washington\u2019s commitment to the war-torn country’s peace, prosperity and security will only deepen under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
\nUnder Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon traveled to Kabul Saturday, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and other senior government officials.
\nShannon later told reporters the purpose of his visit was to underscore the strong partnership the two countries have been able to build during eight years of outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama.
\nBut our commitment to Afghanistan does not end on January 20 when Trump will take the oath of office, quite the contrary it will only deepen and that the strategic importance of this relationship is evident to all,\u201d emphasized Shannon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KABUL (INP): The Taliban has dismissed American plans to send 300 troops to Afghanistan\u2019s southern Helmand province as nothing but \u201csolely to lend morale\u201d to embattled Afghan forces \u201cin hopes they hold out until spring.\u201d The Islamist insurgency has made advances despite the large presence of U.S.-led foreign forces and \u201cthe arrival of a few […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9404","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n