11,000 US soldiers currently stationed in Afghanistan: Pentagon

Earlier, on Aug 22, US President Donald Trump  said that his original instinct was to pull out American soldiers from Afghanistan, but decided against it after a detailed study of the situation.

Trump added that he had arrived at three fundamental conclusions following the study.

Announcing his decisions, the US President said, "First, our nation must seek an honorable and enduring outcome worthy of the tremendous sacrifices that have been made, especially the sacrifices of lives.  The men and women who serve our nation in combat deserve a plan for victory.  They deserve the tools they need, and the trust they have earned, to fight and to win."

"Second, the consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable.  9/11, the worst terrorist attack in our history, was planned and directed from Afghanistan because that country was ruled by a government that gave comfort and shelter to terrorists.  A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including ISIS and al Qaeda, would instantly fill, just as happened before September 11th," he said.

"Third and finally, I concluded that the security threats we face in Afghanistan and the broader region are immense. Today, 20 U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations are active in Afghanistan and Pakistan — the highest concentration in any region anywhere in the world," the US President added.