The United States will remain in an armed conflict in Afghanistan — essentially at war — after the end of this year under rules for combat operations the Pentagon requested, and President Obama approved, early this month.

Senior administration officials said that Obama agreed that U.S military leaders in Afghanistan are authorized to approve combat operations, using ground forces, manned aircraft and drones, under three sets of circumstances.

They include counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and other “transnational” terrorist groups, protection of U.S forces engaged in training or other activities, and assistance to Afghan forces. Under those circumstances, U.S forces probably will be engaged in direct combat with the Taliban and other groups that pose a threat to them or other members of the remaining international military coalition.

“Our expectation is that the Taliban and al-Qaeda will continue to directly threaten U.S and other forces in Afghanistan,” said a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The new authorizations appeared to be a shift away from Obama’s statement, made in May, that “America’s combat mission will be over by the end of this year. Starting next year, Afghans will be fully responsible for securing their country.”

Convoy of Afghan National Army HMMWVs line up in formation at the Kabul Military Training Center in Kabul. (Ernesto Hernandez Fonte/AP)

Obama ordered a reduction in the number of U.S troops to 9,800 by Jan. 1 and said their mission would be limited to training and advising Afghan forces and to counterterrorism against al-Qaeda. By the end of 2016, that number is to be reduced to about 1,000 U.S military personnel attached to the U.S Embassy in Kabul.

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