Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) conducts 96% of operations without any help from foreign militaries stationed in Afghanistan, said acting Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid. 

The statement from Khalid came amid the growing concern regarding the capability of the ANDSF once the foreign troops withdraw from Afghanistan. The New York Times on Tuesday carried a report suggesting American President Donald Trump likely to order further troop withdrawal from foreign countries, including Afghanistan. 

Assuring the nation, Khalid said Afghan forces are conducting ground operations independently without any help from foreign militaries. But, in some instances, we take support from them while conducting air operations, he added. 

In the past months, the Taliban’s attempts to capture the provincial centres in Kunduz, Uruzgan, Farah, and Ghazni have been thwarted by ANDSF. 

Securing highways, cutting military costs without affecting its capabilities, and retaking the areas captured by the Taliban after 2014, remained the priorities for the defense ministry, he said.