US, Afghanistan sign deal allowing foreign troops post 2014

Washington: The United States and Afghanistan have signed an agreement allowing presence of foreign troops beyond the end of 2014.

The signing of the stalled bilateral security agreement between the two countries was a `priority,` top US and coalition commander in Afghanistan said. Marine General Joseph Dunford, who commands the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force , said it was important to sign the deal, which has been stalled since June by PresidentHamid Karzai. According to the New York Daily News, although the number of troops that would remain has not been announced yet, it is believed they would be about 9,000 troops from the U.S. and 6,000 from its allies. There are currently about 100,000 troops from 48 countries in Afghanistan, including 66,000 Americans. ANI