US spent USD 76 bn in last 16 years on arming Afghan forces: GAO report

According to a report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), the country has spent more than USD 76 billion in last 16 years on arming the Afghanistan's security forces.

The reports said despite spending billions of dollars, the U.S. is still far from its main objective of enabling the Afghan security forces to operate independently.

As per the data shared by US Department of Defence with GAO, about 86 percent of the funds were provided through the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF), which was established in 2005.

However, the United States is likely to continue its support to Afghan forces as the country's "stability and security continue to face threats from the Taliban-led insurgency, criminal networks, and terrorist organisations, including the militant Islamic State group-Khorasan," the report said.

Earlier, General John Nicholson, commander-in-chief of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, had said that it is imperative for the NATO to win the war against the insurgents in Afghanistan because failure in Afghanistan will embolden extremist groups in the West.

"Failure will embolden terrorists and jihadists globally to include those already inside our own countries. That is why we are here and that is why we must win," said Nicholson.

As United States President Donald Trump is set to unveil its new military policy in Afghanistan, Nicholson said that they should and will defeat the insurgents to safeguard their own homeland.

"If we fail in Afghanistan, we will invite terror attacks on our homelands. Failure with unleash millions of migrants out of this region and the rest of the world," Nicholson said at a gathering in Kabul held to mark the sacrifices of by Afghan and foreign soldiers.