Nato to expand Afghan mission
2006-09-28 22:20
Portoroz - Nato defence ministers on Thursday endorsed a decision to expand the alliance's military mission in Afghanistan into the east of the country "in coming weeks", a spokesperson said.
The move would see about 12 000 US troops come under the command of the Nato-led international security assistance force (ISAF), said the spokesperson, James Appathurai, at a meeting of alliance defence ministers in Slovenia.
The announcement comes as Nato struggles to find reinforcements to confront a Taliban-led insurgency in the south of Afghanistan, where ISAF took control of international military operations at the end of July.
ISAF has been on a mission since 2003 to expand the influence of President Hamid Karzai's weak central government to outlying regions by providing security and helping foster reconstruction.
- AFP