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The US military announced Tuesday that it will keep its current troop levels in Iraq till mid-2007, due to rising sectarian violence there.

The news marked a further setback for those who favor a quick US withdrawal from Iraq.

Gen. John Abizaid, commander of US Central Command, made the announcement and said during the period the Pentagon may even send more troops or extend deployments of other units if needed.

He said current force levels, at 147,000, are "prudent" and are achieving the needed military effect.

Late last year, news reports said Pentagon officials hoped to reduce troop levels to about 100,000 by the end of this year.

But now Abizaid said rising sectarian violence and slow progress of the Iraqi government made that impossible.

However, he said Iraq's sectarian violence can not be resolved by US military alone and it counts more on Iraqi government's ability to improve political and economic conditions and the Iraqi army's capability to operate independently.

In August, the Pentagon has quickly increased troop levels to 147,000 from 127,000 in late June, fearing that the sectarian violence will grow into a civil war.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)