Washington, Feb 7 : US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Mike Vickers has said that the American military presence in Pakistan is less than 100 personnel.

US military advisers are helping Pakistan to train their elite commando force in a continuing effort to blunt the rising threat of terror groups and militants operating in tribal areas, he said.

That includes assisting and teaching specialised fighting techniques to soldiers, such as helicopter assaults, Vickers added.

"It's been ongoing for a while," Vickers said.

"They're expanding their capability substantially; they're essentially doubling their force. So we're helping them with that expansion and trying to improve their capabilities at the same time. There's also some aviation training. It's been ongoing for several years," he said.

The training programme is the part of new US aid of 750 million dollars to Pakistan for development of the tribal region, the Daily Times quoted Vickers, as saying.

ANI