WASHINGTON – The deployment of close to 4,000 additional troops to Afghanistan will be delayed because of military efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
Joint Staff Director Lt. Col. Kenneth McKenzie said that due to the increase of transport aircraft in Puerto Rico and other islands that have been hit by hurricanes, the deployment of troops has been moved back.
“Forces are flowing to Afghanistan,” said McKenzie, who would not comment on how long the delay would last. “They have been slightly delayed by ongoing hurricane relief efforts.”
The current number of troops in Afghanistan is a little higher than 11,000, according to the Pentagon.
After procedure changes were made to how troop levels would be accounted for and reported – which, according to the Pentagon, was done in order to increase the transparency of the Department of Defense – the troop level in Afghanistan was changed from 8,400 to 11,000 in August.
The Pentagon is currently reviewing troop levels in Syria and Iraq, but does not have official numbers.
According to the Defense Department, 11,000 active duty and National Guard troops have been deployed to Puerto Rico along with 800 medical personnel. Efforts in the last week have led to all nine sea ports and all 10 airports to be opened in Puerto Rico.
Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White said that the DoD would continue to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency and would remain committed to delivering humanitarian aid to “our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico until we’ve restored some semblance of normalcy to their lives.”