ABC News reports that “President Barack Obama has approved broader authorities for the U.S. military in Afghanistan that will on occasion, allow American forces to accompany conventional Afghan troops and possibly allow airstrikes in support of Afghan troops to help them seize a battlefield advantage.”  

“A senior Defense official says the move will allow the U.S. military to proactively help the Afghan military in its fight against a resurgent Taliban.”  

“‘The President has approved providing additional flexibility to our forces already deployed in Afghanistan to carry out our current strategy,’ the senior Defense official told ABC News. ‘These new, limited authorities are modifications of our ongoing Train, Advise, and Assist mission that we believe will allow us to better support the Afghan National Defense Security Forces, maintain our counterterrorism mission, and protect our forces.'”