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The United States and Afghanistan sign a security deal that allows some American troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014, ensuring a continuing U.S. presence in the region. (Reuters)

KABUL The United States and Afghanistan on Tuesday signed a vital, long-delayed security deal that will allow nearly 10,000 American troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond the final withdrawal of U.S. and international combat forces this year.

The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), and a separate pact signed with NATO, permit the continued training and advising of Afghan security forces, as well as counterterrorism operations against remnants of al-Qaeda. The signing of the documents comes as Taliban insurgents are increasing their attacks in an effort to regain control in anticipation of the combat troops departure.

The accord was signed a day after Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as Afghanistans new president in a power-sharing government, marking the first democratic handover of power in the nations history. Ghanis predecessor, Hamid Karzai, who had presided over the country since shortly after the Taliban was driven from power in 2001, had refused to sign the agreement, souring relations with Washington.

President Obama called it a historic day and said in a statement that the signing came after nearly two years of hard work by negotiating teams on both sides. Critics, particularly Republican lawmakers, have charged that the failure to negotiate a similar agreement in Iraq that would have allowed U.S. troops to stay in that country contributed to the rise of the threat from Islamic State militants there.

Although Obama had considered a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, he announced in May that up to 9,800U.S. troops would remain, provided that the agreement was signed, until the end of 2015. The accord allows U.S. basing at nine separate locations across Afghanistan.

The troop number is to be cut in half by 2016, with American forces thereafter based only in Kabul and at Bagram air base. By the end of 2017, the U.S. force is to be further reduced in size to what U.S. officials have called a normal military advisory component at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, most likely numbering several hundred.

The agreement also prevents U.S. military personnel from being prosecuted under Afghan laws for any crimes they may commit; instead, the United States has jurisdiction over any criminal proceedings or disciplinary action involving its troops inside the country. The provision does not apply to civilian contractors.

The NATO agreement, closely coordinated with the U.S. document, ensures that troops from countries including Germany and Italy will also stay, although in much smaller numbers.

State Department officials in Washington did not specify the scope and nature of the ongoing counterterrorism operations, which are to be conducted in partnership with Afghan forces. A number of al-Qaeda operatives have been ensconced for some time in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border.

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U.S., Afghanistan sign long-delayed security pact