UN Extends Mandate of NATO-led Force in Afghanistan

Posted October 12th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
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The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for another year.

Security Council members voted unanimously to continue the mission of the approximately 130,000 ISAF troops Wednesday, while also calling on U.N. member states to contribute more troops, supplies and other resources.

The council further encouraged the NATO-led force to accelerate the training and deployment of a self-sufficient Afghan security force.

NATO officials have praised “significant” progress in Afghanistan in recent months, saying the insurgency there has been weakened. But the council said it continues to be concerned over the high number of civilian casualties, blaming the majority of them on the Taliban, al-Qaida, and other violent and extremist groups.

The U.S.-led NATO coalition is scheduled to begin transferring security responsibility in some areas of the country to Afghan forces in July. All combat troops are scheduled to leave the country by the end of 2014.