NATO says it is now up to Afghanistan to secure peace

Afghanistan must construct a safe country for its citizens as NATO withdraws its military forces from the country after 20 years, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said following a decision to start pulling out from May 1.

"This is not an easy decision and it entails risks," Stoltenberg said.

"We face a dilemma because the alternative to leaving is to be prepared for a long-term, open-ended military commitment ... It's now for the Afghan people to build a sustainable peace," he told a news conference alongside the U.S. defence and foreign ministers at NATO headquarters.