WASHINGTON – US Defence Secretary James Mattis said the United States intends to work with Pakistan to take down terrorists underlining that any responsible nation would want to that.
James Mattis was responding to questions on Pakistan’s reaction to the Afghan and South Asia Policy announced by US President Donald Trump last Monday.
Trump hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to terror groups that kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. He also warned Pakistan that it has “much to lose” by harbouring terrorists.
Mattis did not respond to questions on timeline, if any, for Pakistan to take action against terrorists and terrorist groups. “We intend to work with Pakistan in order to take the terrorists down. I think that’s what a responsible nation does,” Mattis told Pentagon reporters on Thursday.
At the impromptu news conference at the Pentagon, Mattis said “Yes, I’ve signed orders to send more US troops to Afghanistan, but it’s not complete.”
He would not say how many troops are deploying or what their exact roles will be.
Mattis stressed that Afghan forces will remain in the lead, with the extra US troops taking a support role. “By and large, this is to enable the Afghan forces to fight more effectively,” Mattis said. “It’s more advisers, more enablers,” including “fire support” teams, which he declined to specify but which could be artillery units. He said the additional US troops have not yet arrived in Afghanistan.