<|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|>The Marine Corps’ footprint in Afghanistan is changing dramatically as a drawdown in forces continues throughout the summer.
The latest changes include a shift in central Helmand province in which one infantry battalion — 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines,<wm> has relocated to Jalabad. Also, the first units to leave the southern Helmand province is a Special Operational Detachment-Alpha — a group tasked with addressing the power dynamics of the region.
While it’s unclear how much of the Marines and their command remain stationed or deployed in Helmand, a source estimates that only two battalions remain in southern Helmand. Afghanistan is a key theater and has long struggled for long term stability after the fall of the Taliban regime.
According to General James Mattis</wm>' Strategic Concept for the Afghan War after the election of the Afghan National Leader for peace, the shift