Obama Says No Big Shift Now In Afghan War Strategy

U.S. President Barack Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama says he has no plans for any major changes in his Afghanistan war strategy for now.

The assessment comes with Obama's latest report to congressional leaders, details of which were released by the White House.

Obama ordered an extra 30,000 troops to Afghanistan but also announced they would start coming home in July 2011.

Obama released his report after a U.S. drone strike on October 4 killed eight militants, including German nationals in Pakistan near the Afghan border.

The attack came hours after Japan and Sweden joined Washington and London in issuing an alert warning of a "possible terrorist attack" by Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups against their citizens traveling in Europe.

Fresh bombings, shootings, and violence, meanwhile, left five NATO soldiers dead on October 4.

More than 550 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year so far, the highest toll since the war began in late 2001.

Reuters