LOC17:58
14:58 GMT
KABUL, May 29 (KUNA) -- General Dan McNeill, the top NATO commander in
Afghanistan has said that attacks on Afghan and foreign troops has increased
in eastern zone of Afghanistan over the previous few weeks.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, the general mention the reason behind the
surge in Taliban attacks as the halt to operation by the Pakistan military
against militants on the other side of the border.
McNeill said the terrorists were facing no pressure from the Pakistani
forces at the moment which emboldened them to cross the border and carry out
attacks here.
However, he expressed the hope that the government of Pakistan would soon
resume operations against the militants to curb militancy in its tribal areas
as well as stop Taliban incursions into Afghanistan.
The general said the previous year was very tough for the Pakistani
government which was faced with suicide blasts and attacks on its military in
the aftermath of the operation against a mosque and seminary in its capital of
Islamabad.
He said the Afghan army would be ready to control security of the country
by 2011. At the same time, he said the NATO forces were short in number, but
still doing their job well.
Nearly 50,000 strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) and US-led coalition troops are presently stationed in Afghanistan.
The United States, which is playing the key role in the global war against
terror, is pushing its NATO allies over the previos more than a year to
increase the number of their soldiers in Afghanistan; however, due to the
reluctance of some key NATO members, there is no satisfactory response so far.
(end)
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KUNA 291758 May 08NNNN