'Plan for US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan needs revision'

KABUL (Xinhua) - The new US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, which paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Saturday, said the timetable for American forces drawdown in Afghanistan would be reviewed.

Addressing a joint press conference with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani here in Arg, or Presidential Palace after talks, Carter, who took the helm as defense secretary only days ago said the withdrawal plan of US troops from Afghanistan will be discussed in further details during President Ghani's visit to Washington and his meeting with President Barack Obama next month.

After the end of combat mission of NATO-led ISAF in late December 2014 in Afghanistan, a contingent of more than 12,000 NATO-led troops, including around 10,800 of Americans have remained in Afghanistan to train and advice Afghan national security forces.

Under President Obama's drawdown plan, the 10,800-strong US troops remained in Afghanistan beyond 2014 is due to drop to some 5,500 by the end of 2015 and then pull out altogether by early 2017 except 1,000 forces to provide security for American embassy in the country.

To a query, US Defense Secretary said that the war on terror doubtlessly is a mission and should go ahead.

President Ghani who previously called for reviewing the forces pullout plan from Afghanistan said at the press conference that President Obama's timetable for forces withdrawal is respected.

Thanking the role of international community in the war on terror, President Ghani said that the US forces would have no combat role from now on in Afghanistan. He also added that a new era of relationships has begun between Afghanistan and the United States of America.

Replying a question on peace talks with Taliban and other insurgents' outfits such as Haqqani network, president Ghani said that "We are now in right track to achieve peace, but can't give details at the moment."

The new Pentagon chief who paid his first visit to Afghanistan since assuming office last Tuesday would also call on Afghan government chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and US forces commander to assess the situation here.