US likely to keep more troops in Afghanistan than planned earlier, say officials

The Obama administration is planning to slow down the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and will most likely allow many of the 9,800 American troops to remain well into the next year, said U.S. officials.

According to Fox News, the administration is also abandoning plans to cut the number of troops to 5,500 by the year end.

There are 2,000 US troops in Afghanistan currently conducting counterterrorism missions.

U.S. officials also said that it is not yet clear whether the White house will agree to decrease the number of troops or insist on a larger cut by the end of this year.

Pentagon leaders, including Defense Secretary Ash Carter, are confident that the army will get its way and keep a powerful force in Afghanistan beyond year's end.