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The White House says its renewed effort to fight the war in Afghanistan will include more involvement from India and Pakistan. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

United States General John Nicholson, commander of the NATO Resolute Support Mission attends a press conference with Hugo Llorens (not in picture), the US ambassador to Kabul, in Kabul, Afghanistan Aug. 24, 2017.(Photo: JAWAD JALALI, EPA)

The top U.S. general in Afghanistan on Thursday vowed to annihilate the Islamic State andcrush what remains of al-Qaeda after President Trump announced a renewed effort inthe war that has dragged on for nearly 16 years.

Gen. John Nicholson said thenew strategy is a sign of a long-term commitment.

He told reporters in the countrys capital,Kabul, that additional troopswill further train Afghan forces and promised more air support. Nicholson also urged the Taliban to pursue diplomacyand said that Afghan commandos and special forces were strong.

President Trump said Monday that he was lifting restrictions on commanders in the field imposed by the Obama administration and increasing pressure on Afghanistan'sneighbor Pakistan to stop providing a safe haven to militant groups along its border.

The U.S. will sendup to 3,900 moreU.S. troops to Afghanistan as part ofthe strategy, according to media reports.

"The Taliban cannot win on the battlefield;it's time for them to join the peace process," Nicholson said, according to Reuters.

"We will not fail in Afghanistan, our national security depends on that as well."

More: Pakistan's ambassador: We want to work with Trump to end war in Afghanistan

More: Afghanistan endorses Trump's revised strategy; Taliban warns of 'graveyard'

More: Cautioning against 'hasty' pullout from Afghanistan, Trump clears path for more U.S. troops

Russia on Thursday warned thatmilitary force will notresolve the conflict.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S.strategyputs emphasis on force and that we believe that this path offers no prospects.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow is ready to cooperate with the U.S. and others to help endthe war.

Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have vowed to step up pressure on Pakistan to work harder with its neighbor to end the conflict.

Aizaz Chaudhry, Pakistans ambassador to the United States, pledged Wednesday that his countrys government is willing to work closely with the Trump administration to find a political solution to end the war.

Chaudhry told USA TODAY that the government will help promote peace talks between the U.S.-backed Afghan government and theTaliban "in whatever manner it can."

He said Pakistan would use its considerable influence over the Taliban to prod the insurgent group to the negotiation table.

Pakistan has its own struggle against the Taliban, but some agencies, such as the Intelligence services, have been accused by the U.S. and other governments of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesmanZabiullah Mujahid dismissedTrump's strategy earlier this week.

"If America doesn't withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, soon Afghanistan will become another graveyard for this superpower in the 21st century," he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Contributing:Waseem Abbasi, Associated Press

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Top US general in Afghanistan vows to annihilate Islamic State - USA TODAY