The Taliban insurgency will continue after coalition combat forces withdraw from Afghanistan in late 2014 but the Afghan government will survive, the ex-chief of the Nato-led force said. "
Sometimes this comes as a surprise when I say this, that on Jan 1st, 2015 there's still going to be fighting in Afghanistan," Gen John Allen said in a speech to the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. The Nato-led combat mission is scheduled to wind up on Dec 31, 2014 and be replaced by an 8,000-12,000-strong contingent tasked with training and advising Afghan army forces.