Violence in Afghanistan on the rise, according to new Pentagon report

Violence in Afghanistan on the rise, according to new Pentagon report | Ottawa Citizen: 
The report, the latest in a series of regular Pentagon updates on the war effort, also said the Taliban-led insurgency has been emboldened by the U.S. transition from direct combat operations to a train-and-advise role. The U.S. now has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, some of which are involved in counterterrorism missions.
“The resilient Taliban-led insurgency remains an enduring threat to U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces, as well as to the Afghan people,” the report said.
The report also said al-Qaida, which used Afghanistan as a base from which to launch the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, has a “sustained presence” in eastern and northeastern Afghanistan and remains a threat to the United States. It did not estimate how many al-Qaida fighters are in the country.