Washington (CNN) -- The CIA created and controls a paramilitary force of 3,000 Afghans that conducts clandestine missions targeting al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Pakistan, a U.S. official told CNN on Wednesday. The official described the force as "well-trained" and "effective." "You're talking about one of the finest Afghan fighting forces, which has made major contributions to security and stability," the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic. The Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams were first revealed in a new book by Bob Woodward, associate editor at the Washington Post. "Obama's Wars," which lays out deep divisions in the Obama administration over Afghanistan strategy, will be released Monday.
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NEW: The teams stay in contact with "our allies in both Pakistan and Afghanistan," official says
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The paramilitary force is made up of 3,000 Afghans
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The Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams were first revealed Bob Woodward's new book
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Pakistan denies the presence of foreign forces
A former U.S. counterterrorism official said a team would enter @placeholder to gather intelligence and to provide targeting information to help the CIA take out suspected terrorists with missiles from unmanned aircraft.
The United States has "cut into their ability to plot, plan and train, but they remain very dangerous, and they are still the hub to all spokes, the heart of @placeholder," the U.S. official said.