Australia to send extra troops to Afghanistan

Australia will deploy 110 additional special forces soldiers and two helicopters to help fight rising violence in Afghanistan.

Australia will deploy 110 additional special forces soldiers and two helicopters to help fight rising violence in Afghanistan, the defence minister said on Tuesday.

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The extra forces will support a contingent of 190 Australian personnel already serving in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Robert Hill said in a statement.

Helicopters are especially needed to help with medical evacuations and general military transport, and two Chinook helicopters are undergoing 25 million Australian dollar ($18.78 million) upgrade for the mission, Hill said.

"I am pleased that Australia is now able to make a further contribution to help build a stable and secure Afghanistan and effectively combat threats of terrorism," Hill said.

He said the helicopters will be fitted with an "enhanced level of ballistic protection" and should be deployed in February. They will remain in Afghanistan until September, when Australia's current troop commitment is scheduled to end.

Australia took part in the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 but its troop numbers there had dwindled to one soldier before the special task force of 190 elite troops was sent to help curb insurgents ahead of elections in September last year.

Canberra is also considering sending a further 200 troops to Afghanistan later this year as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team to help rebuild infrastructure in the war ravaged country, The Australian newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.

Hill confirmed that Australia had given an "in-principle agreement" to send a reconstruction team to Afghanistan.