FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrives for a news conference at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday the United States would send over 3,000 troops to Afghanistan and that most were either on their way or had been notified of their deployment.

“It is exactly over 3,000 somewhat and frankly I haven’t signed the last of the orders right now as we look at specific, small elements that are going,” Mattis told reporters.

Reuters previously reported that the United States would send about 3,500 additional troops to Afghanistan.