Obama says to withdraw 34,000 troops from Afghanistan in one year

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said in his State of the Union address that over the next year, another 34,000 US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan.

"Tonight, I can announce that over the next year, another 34,000 American troops will come home from Afghanistan," said Obama. "This drawdown will continue. And by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over."

Obama said he is confident that the United States will complete its mission in Afghanistan, and achieve its objective of defeating the core of terrorist group al Qaeda. All US combat troops are slated to withdraw by end of 2014, after transferring security lead to the Afghans.