Afghan Troops To Retreat From Remote Areas As Part Of New Strategy

An Afghan security personnel on a military operation in Kunduz province, Afghanistan (Picture: PA).

Defence officials in Afghanistan say they are withdrawing government forces from remote, vulnerable security posts in seven provinces to bolster larger military bases which are easier to defend.

The new policy, described as a strategic move, will be expanded to other parts of the country to allow the army to protect towns and cities more effectively.

About half the country's population live in rural areas where the Taliban is active.

Checkpoints in sparsely populated areas of the country have increasingly become overrun by the Taliban, with many Afghan troops killed and wounded each week.

The retreat to the cities will mean that the Taliban and other insurgent groups will hold onto the territory they have already seized. 

The news comes just days after reports that US officials met the Taliban to discuss a political solution to the violence.

An unnamed senior Taliban official said the meeting with top US diplomat for South Asia, Alice Wells, was an attempt to begin talks on ending the 17-year conflict.

US officials neither confirmed nor denied talks took place but confirmed Ms Wells had been in the Qatari capital Doha this week where she met with government officials. 

After combat operations ended in 2014, international NATO troops withdrew to the cities, leaving Afghan forces to defend the remote outposts.