CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia will send 150 elite troops to Afghanistan by September to fight a growing tide of insurgent-led violence, the prime minister said Wednesday. The additional troops would compromise Special Air Service Regiment soldiers, commandos and support personnel, Prime Minister John Howard said. "It's fair to say that the progress that's been made in the establishment of a legitimate government in Afghanistan has come under increasing attack and pressure from the Taliban in particular and some elements of al-Qaida," Howard said.He said Australia had received requests from the United States and others, including the Afghan government, and "decided in order to support the efforts of others to support in turn the government of Afghanistan to dispatch a special forces task group." The troops would be in place by September and remain for a year, he said.
The Australian defense department would also consider sending up to 200 troops as part of a reconstruction team to Afghanistan early next year, he said. There would be a separate Australian national command, although the Special Air Service troops would be under the operational control of U.S. forces.