Secretary of Defense James Mattis has signed orders to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, he revealed to Pentagon reporters Thursday.
Mattis reportedly would not release details on the number of new forces on their way, indicating he needed to notify Congress before elaborating. Previous reports indicate Mattis is authorized to send up to approximately 4,000 troops without any White House approval.
The Pentagon revealed Wednesday that there are approximately 11,000 U.S. service members in Afghanistan already.
The troop deployment is in line with President Donald Trump’s Aug. 21 speech declaring a new South Asia strategy. Trump emphasized the U.S. would remain in Afghanistan for some time to support the Afghan National Security Forces in the fight against the Taliban and combat violent terrorist organizations like the Islamic State, along with a tougher diplomatic stance toward Pakistan.
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