NATO's next Afghanistan mission to be civilian-led

ANTALYA , Turkey, May 13 (UPI) -- NATO will remain in Afghanistan after its mission concludes but with civilian leadership, the NATO chief announced Wednesday.

Speaking at a two-day summit meeting of NATO countries' foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "Our future presence will be led by civilians." A civilian/military will continue the role of NATO in Afghanistan, where it has been a presence for over a decade. While there has been no NATO timetable for withdrawal of the current mission, named "Resolute Support," the United States has projected its troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2016, which will likely mean the end of the NATO campaign.

"Everyone envisions something that is smaller than the present number of personnel," Stoltenberg added. Current troop strength, from 26 NATO nations and 14 partner nations, is about 13,000, and formal plans for the next mission will be submitted by the fall of 2015. The United States will end its management of Afghan airspace at the end of June, prompting several airliners to consider cancelling flights into Afghanistan and over its territory. Stoltenberg praised Afghan security forces for stepping up the fight against insurgents, saying, "A lasting peace in Afghanistan requires a political solution. This has to be an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process and solution."