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Obama Says No U.S. Troop Drawdown in Afghanistan Before 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) answers a question while holding a joint press conference with President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani (R) in the East Room of the White House March 24, 2015 in Washington, DC.

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) answers a question while holding a joint press conference with President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani (R) in the East Room of the White House March 24, 2015 in Washington, DC.

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
Toluse Olorunnipa and Margaret Talev
Updated on

President Barack Obama retreated from plans to slash U.S. forces in Afghanistan by the end of 2015, a response both to growing threats from Islamic militants in the region and an improved relationship with the country’s leaders.

About 9,800 military personnel will remain in Afghanistan through this year. Obama said he’ll decide later whether to further revise a timetable that once called for the U.S. to have just 5,500 troops in the country by the end of December.