U.S. To Permanently Keep 20,000 Troops In Afghanistan

The United States will keep approximately 20,000 U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan who will reside in nine bases in different parts of the war-torn country, a top Pakistani senator said on Friday on the conclusion of his visit to Afghanistan.

Chairman of the Pakistani Senate Committee on Defense, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, said on his return from a four-day visit that he was informed in Kabul that within the next two months, a bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington will be signed, allowing foreign troops to remain in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a news conference, he also said according to informed sources in Kabul, there were over 100,000 U.S. contractors who were engaged in various security and other related responsibilities for both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"This number would not be affected by the draw-down of NATO troops," Mushahid Hussain said.