NATO to boost Resolute Support in Afghanistan

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has agreed to take the size of its personnel, as part of the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, a notch higher from 13 thousand to around 16 thousand.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced it at the end of a two-day meeting of the alliance's defence ministers in Brussels, reported Khaama Press.

"In addition, NATO allies and partners will continue to provide USD one billion a year to the defence and security forces (of Afghanistan) until at least 2020," the Afghan news agency quoted Stoltenberg as saying.

Hailing, the growing war capabilities of the Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF), the NATO Secretary General reportedly said that conventional Afghan security forces have prevented the Taliban from taking provincial capitals this fighting season.

The commitment by the NATO comes in the backdrop of United States' announcement in August of its new strategy adopted for South Asia.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar are also ready to contribute to teh NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.