Obama will slow troop withdrawal

US President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday that no reduction of the 9,800 US troops stationed in Afghanistan will occur this year.

Obama's decision to slow the withdrawal of US troops will hamper peace efforts, the Taliban said on Wednesday as it vowed to continue fighting.

"Obama's announcement to continue to keep troops in Afghanistan is a response to the peace efforts," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said.

"This damages all the prospects for peace. This means the war will go on until they are defeated."

At a joint news conference with visiting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Obama noted that Afghanistan "remains a dangerous place", and said that given the upcoming spring offensive season with Afghan militants, it is worthwhile to grant flexibility requested by Ghani in terms of the US withdrawal timeline.

Ghani is leading a high-ranking 70-member delegation in Washington for talks with US leaders to seek their continued support.

"It is my judgment. It is the judgment of General (John) Campbell and others who are on the ground, that providing this additional time frame during this fighting season for us to be able to help the Afghan security force succeed, is well worth it," Obama said.

He said the flexibility also reflected a "reinvigorated partnership" with Afghanistan under the leadership of Ghani, who replaced former president Hamid Karzai last September and was seen by many as more cooperative than his predecessor.

Shortly after starting his presidency, Ghani signed a bilateral security agreement with the United States to allow US troops to remain in the country. Karzai had long refused to sign the agreement and often publicly called the US the main problem in Afghanistan in his final years in office.

Ghani said the flexibility granted in terms of the US military withdrawal timeline through 2015 was vital for his nation's reform efforts and security situation.

"Much binds us together and the flexibility that has been provided for 2015 will be used to accelerate reforms, to ensure that the Afghan national security forces are much better led, equipped, trained and are focused on the fundamental mission," said Ghani at the news conference.

The number of Afghan national security forces stands at around 330,000, and US Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Monday that the Obama administration is seeking funding to ensure Afghan troops are maintained at the target peak level of 352,000 through 2017.

Obama had previously planned to reduce the current level of 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan to around 5,500 by the end of 2015 and withdraw all troops by the end of 2016 when his presidency comes to an end.

Xinhua - AFP