US commander reaffirms commitment to Afghans

A US commander in Afghanistan Wednesday reaffirmed his country 's commitment to Afghans after President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he planned to keep 9,800 American troops in Afghanistan after 2014.

"General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., reaffirmed the US military's commitment to Afghanistan following a decision by President Barack Obama yesterday," the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

Obama announced the drawdown plan two days after he made a surprise visit to Afghanistan where he met with US commanders and forces, Xinhua reported.

"The people of Afghanistan and their government should be reassured with this commitment to their continued progress and development," Dunford, also commander of ISAF, said.

Obama Tuesday also emphasised that the presence of US troops is tied to the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the Afghan government. However, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign the accord.

"Obama offered a conditional commitment of 9,800 troops with the assumption that the legal framework, or Bilateral Security Agreement, will be in place shortly after the inauguration of the soon-to-be-elected Afghan president. The elections are scheduled for June 14, with final results expected in late July," the ISAF statement reads.

"The current ISAF mission ends in December, and the decision by the US eliminates uncertainty as NATO allies and partners finalise planning for the Resolute Support mission to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces from the beginning of 2015 to cement coalition gains made during the previous 13 years," the statement added.

According to officials, Nearly 2,200 members of the US military have died in Afghanistan.