U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday that the 33,000 extra US troops sent to Afghanistan in 2009 have completed withdrawing from the country. The last troops went to Afghanistan to drive back the Taliban force and help NATO troops train Afghani soldiers to take over the security of their own country, after its allies pull out at the end of next year.

US President Barack Obama also announced an end to the war in Iraq and pledged to reduce the US presence in Afghanistan as part of his presidential electoral campaign.

The withdrawal, which leaves 68,000 American troops still in the war zone, comes as the security transition to Afghan forces is in trouble, threatened by a rise in insider attacks in which Afghani troops and police, or insurgents dressed in their uniforms, have been attacking and killing U.S. and NATO forces.