Obama briefed by new Afghan team

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday was briefed by the U.S. top military and civilian officials in Afghanistan who had newly arrived in Kabul.

Obama and his national security team were briefed via video conference by U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker and Commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General John Allen about the situation in Afghanistan, the White House said in a statement.

"(U.S. leaders in Kabul) underscored the continuing momentum of the coalition campaign, development of the Afghan National Security Forces, and support to the Afghan government as they transition to the lead in security," it said.

The briefing came less than a week after U.S. forces suffered its largest single-day loss in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001.

Thirty U.S. troops were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by a Taliban rocket propelled grenade on Saturday, many of whom are of the secretive Navy SEALs special forces. Seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter were also killed.

The statement said Obama reaffirmed his commitment to a political solution in Afghanistan and expressed support for the regional engagement agenda laid out by State Secretary Hillary Clinton, including an international meeting at Bonn in December.