北约表示，明年、也就是2016年，将在阿富汗保留大约一万两千名驻军，以防止阿富汗再度成为恐怖分子的藏身之地。这等于是将北约之前的“撤军时间表”向后延长了一年。
北约秘书长斯托尔滕贝格星期二表示，北约组织将承诺“大约一万两千名官兵”，作为区域间“毅然援助使命”的一个组成部分。斯托尔滕贝格说，这个数字和北约目前驻扎在阿富汗的部队官兵的数目是相符的。
斯托尔滕贝格是在北约各国外长对这一计划表示赞同之后，对外正式宣布的。
美国和其盟国在2001年的时候，也就是911事件恐怖袭击之后，为了同塔利班作战，开始了阿富汗战事。在随后的2003年，北大西洋公约组织接管 了美国和盟国在阿富汗的军事运作统筹。北约在阿富汗的军事作战使命于2014年正式宣告结束，但是还有部队官兵继续留在阿富汗，从事“毅然援助使命”。
目前，塔利班武装团伙仍然在发动袭击，而极端组织“伊斯兰国”也在阿富汗境内力争扩充地盘。
NATO to Keep 12,000 Troops in Afghanistan Next Year
NATO says it will keep about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan for an extra year in 2016 to prevent the country from again becoming a safe haven for terrorists.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday the alliance will pledge "approximately 12,000 troops" as part of its Resolute Support Mission in the region. He said that figure is in line with the current NATO troop strength in Afghanistan.
Stoltenberg announced the pledge after alliance foreign ministers endorsed the decision.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the September 11 terrorist attacks to fight the Taliban. NATO took over command of the operation in 2003, but the alliance ended combat operations in 2014, leaving the Resolute Support Mission in place.
Today, Taliban militants are still mounting attacks, while the Islamic State group is gaining a foothold in the country.
**土耳其一地铁站附近发生爆炸事件**
星期二，土耳其伊斯坦布尔一个地铁站附近发生了爆炸事件。这起事件至少造成五人受伤，并导致地铁运输系统暂时停止运作。
土耳其当地一位官员表示，这起爆炸事件发生在当地时间星期二晚间上下班高峰时段，地点是拜拉姆贝沙站附近的天桥，是由一个管道炸弹引爆的。
拜拉姆贝沙市长奥迪内尔表示，这起爆炸事件同时还造成至少一辆公交车和一辆轿车的损坏。
爆炸事件发生后，当地政府立即派遣防爆警察到现场和周边地区，以防第二波袭击。
到目前为止，还没有任何一方声称对这起爆炸事件负责。
今年10月初，土耳其首都安卡拉曾发生了一起爆炸规模更为瞩目的爆炸事件。当时，有两名自杀爆炸人士在和平集会的人群当中引爆了绑在自己身上的炸药，造成一百余人丧生。
Explosion in Istanbul Causes Injuries and Transport Halt
An explosion near a metro station in Istanbul, Turkey Tuesday injured at least five people and brought the transport system to a halt.
A local official in Istanbul said that the explosion in the evening rush hour at an overpass near the city's Bayrampasa station was caused by a pipe bomb.
Atilla Aydiner, the mayor of Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, also said that a number of vehicles were damaged in the blast, including a bus and a car.
Authorities deployed riot police to secure the perimeter of the site in case of a second blast.
No claim of responsibility has been made.
Earlier, Istanbul's governor, Vasip Sahin, said that the cause of the blast was not known and that authorities were assessing every possibility.
Turkey is currently on alert for attacks after more than 100 people were killed on October 10 when two suicide bombers detonated themselves in the middle of a crowd of peace activists in the capital, Ankara.