Returned troops get Afghanistan orders

ATLANTA, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Several thousand U.S. troops, including some who just returned from Iraq, are being sent to Afghanistan next year, military officials said.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, in a posting Tuesday on its Facebook page, said it was one of four brigades selected to support a mission to Afghanistan early next summer, CNN reported Thursday.

"We just received initial planning orders so lots of details are unknown," the post said. "The mission is part of the transition from combat operations to advisory mission as we did in Iraq and is a sign of progress."

A brigade spokeswoman confirmed the Facebook announcement, CNN said.

The U.S. government has outlined plan to withdraw 33,000 "surge" troops deployed to help quell the violence by the end of 2012. The remaining 68,000 troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2014.

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, has said he would like to keep a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014 when NATO is scheduled to withdraw its forces.