“The United States is committed to an enduring relationship with Afghanistan,” Gen. Nicholson said at a ceremony marking the start of his command.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Nicholson took command of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan when there was a bloody attack on an Indian consulate.
The U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Nicholson is expected make a recommendation on how many of U.S. troops should remain after this year within his first three months as he said previously that troop numbers should be based on conditions on the ground.
“The United States is committed to an enduring relationship with Afghanistan,” Gen. Nicholson said at a ceremony marking the start of his command.
The country has been witnessing a surge in insurgency since the Taliban take over in the country.
Several people were killed and more than a dozen injured by the suicide bombing on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, followed by an hour-long gunbattle.
According to the U.S. and allied officials, Taliban now heavily influences around a third of country, more than at any time since the U.S. invaded in 2001 to topple the Taliban regime.
However, 10,000 U.S. troops and another 6,000 allied forces have been stationed in Afghanistan. Although the U.S. force is scheduled to drop to around 5,500 by the end of this year, several military officers oppose the plan to withdraw troops.