BRUSSELS — NATO leaders agreed on Tuesday to keep a 12,000-strong troop presence in Afghanistan through 2016, a larger number than previously planned, as the alliance aims to support Afghan security forces in their struggle against a resurgent Taliban. Afghan troops “continue to make steady progress and to learn lessons, but challenges and capability gaps persist,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a news conference. At NATO headquarters, allies approved continuing their training and advisory mission and worked on a plan to fund Afghan forces through 2020, seeking to shore up commitments on both fronts. But new security threats in NATO’s own backyard also...
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