BELGIUM: Steady progress in handover to Afghan forces, NATO says

Record ID: 863531

  • Title: BELGIUM: Steady progress in handover to Afghan forces, NATO says
  • Date: 22nd February 2013
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 22, 2013) (REUTERS) NATIONAL FLAGS OF NATO MEMBERS AND SCULPTURE OUTSIDE NATO HEADQUARTERS NATO AND BELGIAN FLAGS OUTSIDE NATO HEADQUARTERS U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA ARRIVING FOR MEETING BRITISH DEFENCE SECRETARY PHILIP HAMMOND ARRIVING GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER THOMAS DE MAIZIERE ENTERING NATO BUILDING MILITARY PERSONNEL CANADIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE MINISTER PETER MACKAY ARRIVING
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD4D3Y18I9Y21K37M6J7Y145SK
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says there is steady progress in the handover of security responsibilities in Afghanistan to local forces, who are now leading 80 percent of security operations.

    NATO ministers of defence and their counterparts from non-NATO members who contribute forces to the Alliance's mission in Afghanistan met at in Brussels on Friday (February 22, 2013) to discuss the progress in handing over security responsibilities to Afghan security forces.
    NATO's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who chaired the meeting, said Afghan security forces are now in charge of over three quarters of operations.
    "The handover to Afghan security lead continues to make steady progress. The Afghan security forces are demonstrating that they are capable, confident and in command. They are leading some 80% of operations," Rasmussen said before the beginning of the meeting.
    The United States this year is providing $5.7 billion of the $6.5 billion cost to field the Afghan forces, which are nearly at peak strength. Other NATO members are providing $300 million and the Afghans are paying for $500 million of that total.
    In recent months, top U.S. and NATO commanders have expressed growing confidence about the ability of Afghan forces to take the lead successfully in all operations starting this spring and to take full responsibility for security at the end of 2014, inspite of an ongoing resilient insurgency.
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