NATO chief says ISAF will stay in Afghanistan until the country can defend itself

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen assured Afghans on December 22 that International troops will stay and help them until Afghan security forces are strong enough to fight a growing insurgency on their own.

Rasmussen visited Afghanistan for the second time as NATO Secretary General on an unannounced visit and said 2010 would bring new momentum for NATO troops.

NATO countries had pledged a total of around 7,000 more troops to support the US-led war in Afghanistan, following US President Obama's commitment of 30,000 extra American troops.

There are currently some 110,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, including 68,000 Americans.