WASHINGTON/KANDAHAR: US President Donald Trump tweeted early Saturday that “many decisions” had been made in a meeting with his top military advisers, including on the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan.
The Trump administration, wary of international involvements but eager for progress in the grueling Afghan war, has been weighing a range of options. It had originally promised a new plan by mid-July.
On Saturday, Trump tweeted about the meeting a day earlier at the presidential retreat in Maryland, saying: “Important day spent at Camp David with our very talented Generals and military leaders. Many decisions made, including on Afghanistan.”
It was unclear how far-ranging those decisions might be, or when they would be announced.
But Trump is said to be dissatisfied by initial proposals to add a few thousand more troops in the country, and advisers were studying an expanded strategy for the broader South Asian region, including Pakistan.
In an “open letter” to Trump last week, the insurgent group reiterated its calls for the withdrawal of all remaining US troops.
There are now about 8,400 US and 5,000 NATO troops supporting Afghanistan’s security forces in the fight against Taliban and other militants. But the situation has remained as deadly as ever, with more than 2,500 Afghan police and troops killed from Jan. 1 to May 8.
Meanwhile, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in the southern Helmand province, killing five Afghan police.
Gen. Abdul Ghafar Safi, the provincial police chief, said six other policemen were wounded in the attack late Friday in Nawa district, where clashes were still underway early Saturday.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Decisions made’ on Afghanistan: Trump
‘Decisions made’ on Afghanistan: Trump
