US considering substantial reduction of troops in Afghanistan: report

WASHINGTON - The United States is considering a substantial reduction of US troops in Afghanistan, US media reports on Thursday.

The US government would withdraw about 7,000 troops from Afghanistan in the coming months, the New York Times cited US defense officials as saying.

Currently, there are more than 14,000 US soldiers deployed in Afghanistan.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the US troops reduction in Afghanistan could begin in the next several weeks.

US President Donald Trump said last year that a rapid exit of the US troops from Afghanistan "unacceptable," and authorized to send more than 3,000 US troops to Afghanistan.

The death toll of US service members in Afghanistan has surpassed 2,400 since the United States invaded the Asian country in 2001.

The drawdown, if confirmed, would follow Trump's decision to completely pull all US forces out of Syria.

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it has started returning US troops home from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the Islamic State.

Trump's decision to withdraw US troops in Syria was one of the reasons that led to the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday, according to media reports.