Additional U.S. Marines are being sent to Afghanistan as the White House continues to mull over its strategy in the country, NBC reported Monday.
The report cited three defense officials that said dozens of Marines already based in the region will deploy to Task Force Southwest, which is stationed in the violent Helmand Province.
The deployment is not part of a broader strategy from the Trump administration and was based off a request from the Marine commander in the region, NBC reported.
The White House has continued to review what it will do in the conflict that is nearing its 16 year anniversary. President Trump has given Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to deploy more troops. However, Mattis said that this authority does not represent a delegation of strategy.
National Security Adviser H.R McMaster reportedly advised Trump to send more troops to Afghanistan, but this was rejected. The president’s top aides Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner both favor a plan to use private military contractors to mentor the Afghan military, according to The American Conservative.
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