US President Donald Trump has given Defence Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to determine troop levels in Afghanistan, paving the way for sending more American forces to the war-torn country.Media reports said, the authorisation was granted by Trump yesterday.<br/><br/>According to The New York Times, Mattis is believed to favour sending several thousands more troops to Afghanistan, but yet to take a final decision in this regard. The US currently has some 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Army General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, told Congress that he could use an infusion of US and allied troops to bolster support for the Afghan army.<br/><br/>Earlier this year, the Pentagon was considering a request for roughly 3,000 more troops, mainly for training and advising. That decision, however, has been stalled by the broader administration review of Afghan policy and a push for NATO to contribute more troops.<br/><br/>This sets the stage for US commanders to begin sending more forces to Afghanistan, after years of reductions made in the hope that Kabul could handle internal threats on its own. Mattis, the former commander of all Middle East wars, said yesterday that the US is not winning the war in Afghanistan.<br/>