E-Paper
Australia to boost troops in Afghanistan to 1,550: PM
Australia will increase its troop commitment in Afghanistan by 450 to 1,550 to reduce the militant threat in the increasingly unstable nation, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.
Updated on: Apr 29, 2009, 09:18:56 IST
Share via
Copy link
Australia will increase its troop commitment in Afghanistan by 450 to 1,550 to reduce the militant threat in the increasingly unstable nation, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Wednesday.
"Today I have announced an increase in our troop commitment from 1,100 to around 1,550," Rudd told reporters.
He earlier detailed the deployment of more than 200 additional troops but said a 120-strong infantry company would also join them for an eight-month tour of duty to provide security for the Afghan elections.
Rudd did not provide a full breakdown of the additional troop numbers but said none would assume a combat role.
Get the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.
