Washington (ANTARA News/AFP) - President Barack Obama will "likely" withdraw about 10,000 US troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year, with half coming out this summer and the remainder leaving later in 2011, a senior US defense official said Tuesday.

Another 20,000 troops, which formed part of a troop buildup ordered by Obama in 2009, would be withdrawn by the end of 2012, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

The official described the numbers as the most "likely" option to be backed by the US president, who has tripled the US military`s presence since coming into office. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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