Mattis says not decided on number of additional US troops for Afghanistan

BAGHDAD - US Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Tuesday that he was waiting for a plan from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that follows President Donald Trump's South Asia strategy before he makes a decision on how many additional troops to send to Afghanistan.

"When he brings that to me, I will determine how many more we need to send in. It may or may not the number that is bandied about," Mattis told reporters during a visit to Baghdad.

US officials have said Trump has given Mattis the authority to send about 4,000 additional troops to add to the roughly 8,400 already in Afghanistan.