The presence of a NATO contingent in Afghanistan is essential for preventing terrorist groups operating in the country from expanding their influence, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.
ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2018) The presence of a NATO contingent in Afghanistan is essential for preventing terrorist groups operating in the country from expanding their influence, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday."We believe it is essential to stay in Afghanistan in order to prevent the Taliban from creating a good environment for extremists," Stoltenberg at the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.
After transferring the responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the country's security forces in 2014, NATO has been present in the Islamic Republic in the form of Resolute Support Mission. As of July, the mission comprised over 16,000 personnel from 39 NATO member states and partner countries.
Afghanistan has been struggling to achieve stability for years as central authorities have been fighting the Taliban radical movement and a number of terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) that are attempting to gain a foothold in the country.
