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International military forces formally ended their combat mission in Afghanistan on Sunday after more than 13 years even as deadly violence continued in parts of the country.

The U.S.-led coalition known as the International Security Assistance Force lowered its green and white flag at its Kabul headquarters at 2:22 p.m. in a small ceremony marking the transition to a smaller mission focused on training and counterterrorism.

In a statement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the 40-nation coalition was not walking away from Afghanistan when its combat mission officially expires Wednesday.

As we complete the international combat mission at the end of 2014, we open a new chapter in the relationship between NATO and Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said. The security of Afghanistan will be fully in the hands of the countrys 350,000 Afghan soldiers and police.

In reality, the conflict in Afghanistan is far from over and international troops will still be involved in fighting. More than 12,500 foreign troops, including some 10,800 U.S. service members, will remain in the country under a new mission, dubbed Resolute Support, and are expected to gradually withdraw by the end of 2016.

U.S. troops will still be authorized to conduct airstrikes and provide other limited combat support to Afghan forces under orders approved by President Obama to help fight a Taliban-led insurgency that has demonstrated its strength with a series of major attacks in recent weeks.

The new mission will consist of troops from 28 NATO allies and 14 partner nations.

In a statement issued Sunday, Obama said the Kabul ceremony "marks a milestone" for the U.S., adding that "the longest war in American history is coming to a responsible conclusion."

In thanking troops and their families for their sacrifiices, the president also warned that "Afghanistan remains a dangerous place, and the Afghan people and their security forces continue to make tremendous sacrifices in defense of their country."

Speaking in Kabul, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, President Ashraf Ghanis national security advisor, thanked the foreign troops for their service since December 2001, when the United Nations Security Council established the international coalition following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Some 3,500 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan, including 2,224 American service members, according to a tally by the Associated Press.

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Afghanistan: U.S.-led coalition formally ends 13-year combat mission