'NATO will continue Afghan mission'

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/177822.html

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the alliance will continue its mission in Afghanistan despite the recent killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

Rasmussen hailed the death of bin Laden and said NATO will continue its presence in Afghanistan in an attempt to prevent the war-torn country from becoming a terrorist haven again, AFP reported.

The NATO chief's remarks came after US President Barack Obama announced the killing of bin Laden on Monday.

The world's most wanted man was killed on Sunday during a US military operation on his compound in Pakistani town of Abbottabad in northeast of Islamabad.

Many observers believe bin Laden's killing will trigger a violent reaction across the world where al-Qaeda has headquarters, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Morocco and Algeria.

Some analysts and military experts also say the United States had delayed the killing of bin Laden to continue the presence of US-led forces in war-torn Afghanistan.

The announcement of bin Laden's death comes almost ten years after the September 11 attacks on the United States.

The number of US-led forces in Afghanistan stands at about 150,000 while more than 47,000 American soldiers are being stationed inside Iraq.