US sending more marines to Afghanistan, move at odds with Donald Trump's policy: Reports

Washington: The US is sending dozens of Marines to Afghanistan to beef up internal security in the Helmand province, according to a media report. The US Central Command has agreed to send additional marines who would join the existing 300 marines assigned to Task Force Southwest, NBC news reported. [caption id=“attachment_1773427” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] This does not resonate well with the ongoing review of the Afghanistan policy of the Trump Administration. It fulfils a request from the commander on the ground, Marine Brigadier General Roger Turner. It was approved by General Joseph Votel at Central Command. The report, which was based on unnamed sources, was not confirmed by the Pentagon. “The repositioning and movement of forces in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility), to include presently deployed Marines, happen at the discretion of the CENTCOM Commander,” a spokesperson for Marine Corps Forces Central Command said. “At this time there are no plans to deploy CONUS based Marines into Afghanistan,” the spokesman said using the acronym for Continental United States.