美国阿富汗签署双边安全协议

Afghanistan's new government and the United States have signed a long-delayed security agreement that will allow about 12,000 foreign soldiers to remain in Afghanistan when the international combat mission ends December 31.

National security adviser Hanif Atmar and U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham signed the deal in a televised ceremony in Kabul , a day after Ashraf Ghani took over as Afghanistan's president.

Cunningham said the pact was the choice of the Afghan people, through their newly elected leadership.

Outgoing President Hamid Karzai was a long-time opponent of the pact, citing in part the civilian death toll during the tenure of international troops in the country since the Taliban was ousted in 2001.

Under Tuesday's agreement, approximately 10,000 U.S. troops and 2,000 NATO forces will stay in Afghanistan after 2014.