US Army Gen John W “Mick” Nicholson took command on Wednesday of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Nicholson, 58, was handed position after US Army Gen John F Campbell, who oversaw the end of the international combat mission in 2014.
Nicholson served in Afghanistan three times between 2006 and 2012. Most recently he was commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey.
Nicholson thanked NATO representatives for standing by the US after the September 11, 2001 attacks on homeland, in a ceremony at the headquarters of the US-NATO Resolute Support mission in Kabul
“I know you. You have brought only hardship and suffering to the Afghan people.” He said to the enemies.
He takes command of around 13,000 international troops, including 9,800 Americans, in Afghanistan. Around 3,000 of the US troops are engaged in counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban, Al Qaeda