NATO general: Training of Afghan security forces on track

The training process of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) has been on track as NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) has trained over 114,000 Afghan army and police over the past two years, a NATO general in charge of the process said on Monday. "NTM-A in last two years has trained and helped field just over 114,000 new additional police and army in additional who were present two years ago," Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell, commander of NTM-A, told reporters in a joint press conference with spokesman of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson here. In recent months, Afghan security forces have taken the lead for securing seven areas of the nation. Afghan police and army took full control of seven areas including three provinces in July this year and by 2014 they are to be in charge across the country, allowing foreign combat troops to either leave or take on supportive roles. By the end of 2014 the number of ISAF combat troops will drawdown but their support to ANSF and Afghan people will continue, said Caldwell. Currently over 130,000 NATO-led ISAF with majority of them Americans have been serving in Afghanistan.