U.S. to expand military contingent in Helmand province

Almaty. December 25. Silkroadnews - The United States plan to expand its military contingent in the southern province of Helmand within the framework of Donald Trump’s new strategy on Afghanistan, the Afghan News Agency (AfTAG) reports with reference to the U.S. military officials.
On Saturday, the U.S. military delegation visited Afghanistan’s major poppy province and met with the governor Hayatullah Hayat and other officials, “Pajhwok” news agency reported.
The governor’s spokesman Omar Zwak said that during a visit to Helmand, US military commanders and local authorities discussed the security situation and ways of improving it.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy Commander Robert Neller reported a planned increase in the U.S. military presence in Helmand and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to support the Afghan security forces.
At present the security situation in the province remains quite tense. A significant part of the territory is being controlled by the Taliban militants.
Afghan forces takes measures to stabilize the situation in the south of the country and reduce the presence of extremists, but the situation is still dire.