Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday said he will "reluctantly" deploy military trainers in Afghanistan for three years after Canada's combat mission ends in 2011.
"I don't want to risk the gains that Canadian soldiers have fought for and that they have sacrificed in such significant numbers for by pulling out too early if we can avoid that," Harper said at a press conference at the G20 summit in Seoul.
His comments were widely reported by Canadian media.
"Look, I'm not going to kid you," he said. "Down deep, my preference would be, would have been, to see a complete end to the military mission. But as we approach that date, the facts on the ground convince me that the Afghan military needs further training.
"I don't want to risk the gains that Canadian soldiers have fought for and that they have sacrificed in such significant numbers for by pulling out too early if we can avoid that," Harper said.
"I think if we can continue a smaller mission that involves just training, I think frankly that presents minimal risks to Canada but it helps us ensure that the gains we've made our continued.
"I do this with some reluctance but I think it is the best decision when one looks at the options," he said.
Canada currently has 2,800 combat troops as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Canada was "considering" keeping troops in the war-ravaged nation beyond its parliamentary-mandated mid-2011 exit.
His comments came just two weeks ahead of a NATO summit in Lisbon, as Canada was under growing pressure from the United States and other allies to extend its Afghan mission.
Canadian media have since reported that Canada could keep up to 1,000 troops in a non-combat role in Afghanistan through 2014.
The conflict has claimed the lives of 152 Canadian soldiers, as well as a journalist, aid workers and a senior diplomat since the start of the Canadian mission in 2002.
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