U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin supported the decision to strengthen the protection of U.S. troops in Afghanistan against the background of their withdrawal from that country, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

According to him, in particular, it was said that the atomic aircraft carrier USS Dwight Eisenhower will remain in the area of operational responsibility of the Central Command of the U.S. Armed Forces, which includes primarily the Middle East, Central Asia and some regions of South Asia.

In addition, Lloyd's approved the deployment of several long-range bombers to the region, said a Pentagon spokesman.
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