Stoltenberg: NATO could pay the price for withdrawing from Afghanistan

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - NATO could pay a heavy price for prematurely leaving Afghanistan, warned the head of NATO on Tuesday, after a US official stated that President Donald Trump is expected to withdraw a significant number of US troops from the conflict-ridden country in the coming weeks.

NATO has fewer than 12,000 troops from several dozen countries in Afghanistan assisting in the training and advising of national security forces. Many of them are not US soldiers, but the 30-member alliance relies heavily on the United States for transport, air support, logistics, and other forms of assistance, AP reports.

It is unlikely that NATO could even conclude its operation in Afghanistan without US assistance.

"We are now facing a difficult decision. We have been in Afghanistan for almost 20 years, and no NATO ally wants to stay longer than necessary. At the same time, the price for a premature, uncoordinated departure could be very high," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today.