There are 3,500 troops in Afghanistan the Pentagon didn't tell you about

There are currently more than 12,000 U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan — 3,500 of them the Pentagon failed to publicly disclose, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Pentagon has disclosed the 8,400 military members stationed in Afghanistan long-term, but kept hidden the number of troops that are sent to the area on a temporary status. The number of troops from other groups such as special forces are almost always kept secret.

Why it matters: The real total number of troops is important in deciding how many more troops will be sent to the country after President Trump's announcement on Monday night. The new strategy is expected to include sending about 3,900 troops to Afghanistan within the next few weeks, military officials told WSJ.

Go deeper with an Axios graphic showing the number of U.S. troops and private contractors in Afghanistan since 2007, here.