At least 3,000 additional American troops have been sent in to Afghanistan under US President Donald Trump's Afghan strategy, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The Pentagon had previously put the number of US forces in the country at about 11,000 but Trump in August authorized an increase requested by the commander on the ground, General John Nicholson.

“In Afghanistan the number we've been working with has been approximately 11,000,” Joint Staff Director Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie told Pentagon reporters. “As you know, we've just completed a force flow into Afghanistan.”

He said “the new number for Afghanistan is now approximately 14,000”.

“With the additional forces that the commander has identified is needed and that the secretary and the president have approved, the new approximate number for Afghanistan is 14,000,” he added.

Reports indicate that according to the new US strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia, at least 3,000 NATO troops will be send in to the country within the next six months.