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Czechs may join hunt for al-Qaeda
The government has pledged to send 150 special-forces troops to assist in NATO operations in Afghanistan, Defense Ministry Spokesman Ladislav Sticha confirmed Dec. 2. If the mission receives approval from Parliament, the troops will join in the hunt for Taliban and al-Qaida forces as part of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom coalition. Karel Kovanda, the countryâs ambassador to NATO, extended the offer at a Dec. 1 meeting in Brussels, and the government is expected to make a final decision on the plan by January. The government had offered to send troops to the region last year, but later scrapped the plan after officials discovered that a special anti-terrorist unit from Prostejov, south Moravia, was not up to the task. NATO Secretary General George Robertson, who has been pushing members to contribute to the NATO effort in Afghanistan, reportedly welcomed the Czech governmentâs pledge. Spain, Germany, Norway, Turkey and the Netherlands have also offered to send troops to the region. NATO has considered assuming control of operations in Afghanistan from the United States, but the move has been hampered by a lack of equipment and personnel.
Posted by: Dan Darling 2003-12-05 |
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