Against the backdrop of the ongoing peace talks between Taliban and the United States, President Donald Trump on Monday said that Washington would leave a strong intelligence presence in Afghstan even after the US troops depart from the country.
"We will be leaving very strong intelligence, far more than you would normally think [...] It just seems to be a lab for terrorists... I call it the Harvard of terrorists", Trump said in an interview to Fox News.
The seventh round of peace talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar's capital city of Doha entered the third day on Monday. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the talks are focused on four key issues: a Taliban guarantee that it will not allow fighters to use Afghstan to launch attacks outside the country, the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, an intra-Afghan dialogue and a permanent ceasefire.
The Taliban has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from Afghstan, which has been a sticking point in the meetings between the US and the group at the talks.
According to a report by Sputnik, around 17,000 military personnel from 39 NATO member states are currently stationed in Afghstan as part of the Resolute Support Mission.
The mission is aimed at providing training and assistance to Afghan security forces, which continue to fight rebel and terrorist groups operating in the country, continues to support Kabul.
Back in June, Trump vowed in an interview with the Time magazine that the US will soon see its troops in Afghstan halved to 8,000 soldiers.
( With inputs from ANI )