The U.S. is in favour of India providing greater security assistance to Afghanistan, General John William Nicholson, Commander of the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, said on Wednesday.
“It is up to the Indian government to decide what form it would take… We encourage it,” said Gen. Nicholson, who also commands the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.
The gift of four MI-25 attack helicopters by India to Afghanistan was specially cited by the U.S. military commander while flagging the crucial role India is playing in the war-torn country. “I know that they [Afghan authorities] have requested more. There is an immediate need for more. If they get these helicopters they will get into the fight soon.”
“The tremendous cooperation India has made in the human capital of Afghan security forces is the one contribution that is going to be enduring,” he said referring to the training provided by India to Afghan forces.
Gen. Nicholson, who’s in Delhi now, said Afghanistan military requires more aircraft. “The Afghan air force needs to expand. We are concerned about making it sustainable, so that they can maintain the aircraft, get their parts in time, etc.”
He said efforts were under way to create a facility in Afghanistan for servicing Russian made military equipment such as the MI-25 helicopters they got from India. “Due to sanctions on Russia, it’s difficult to acquire supplies of spare-parts for Russian military platforms, because much of the money is given to Afghanistan by donors who have sanctions against Russia in place.”
Fighting TalibanThe fight against Taliban, he said, is making progress. “Last year, Afghan forces suffered over 5,000 deaths. But by the end of the year, they were able to take control of all major population centres. In 2016, they have gone on an aggressive mode.” The main focus of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan is counter-terrorism mission, primarily targeted at al-Qaeda, Taliban and Islamic State.
Compared to the limited success against the Taliban, he said the IS’s faction in Afghanistan has suffered major setbacks in recent times.
Gen Nicholson said when the IS began to emerge, its fighting cadres numbered about 3,000, and had occupied 9 or 10 districts.
After President Obama gave authority to attack the IS in January this year, U.S. forces have been aggressively targeting them, he said. “They (Afghan and U.S. troops) killed a number of top leaders, and over 300 of their fighters. What this amounts to is at least 25 per cent of the organisation. It has reduced their territory, population under their control and they have started withdrawing to the south.”
