Ghani says Afghans wanting US troops to leave 'simply untrue'

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has reportedly gone on record to say that his country did not want U.S. troops to leave.

In an interview to the US National Public Radio, Ghani remarked that the perception that Afghans were eager for American forces to leave the nation "is simply untrue." He added that most people in Afghanistan wanted "continued US troop presence" as they saw it as being critical to their future, reported the Dawn.

The statement came as Ghani began his first official visit to Washington post assuming power on Sunday. He is leading a high-level delegation, which includes the country's new chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah. An extension on the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is the main item on the agenda.

Ghani has already held several discussions with President Barack Obama on the issue and he has agreed in principle to continue to keep American troops in Afghanistan. However, he is expected to make a formal announcement on Tuesday after a meeting with Ghani at the White House.

Commenting on the visit, the U.S. media noted that Obama now had "a real ally" in Afghanistan as compared to the former Afghan leader, Hamid Karzai, with whom he had serious differences.

Karzai wanted U.S. troops to leave the nation as soon as possible.