Poland to send 400 additional troops to Afghanistan: daily
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, March 18, IRNA -- Poland is to send 400 additional soldiers to Afghanistan next month amid deteriorating security situation in the war-stricken country, the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reported in its Wednesday edition.
There are presently 1,600 Polish troops stationed in Afghanistan battling a revitalized Taliban and al-Qaeda insurgency.
Polish soldiers have faced increased attacks in recent times, Polish military circles were quoted saying.
The US has reportedly pressed Poland to dispatch more soldiers to Afghanistan.
Polish troops have been based mostly in the Afghan province of Ghazni since fall as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which has currently deployed around 55,000 troops throughout Afghanistan.
ISAF is by far NATO's largest mission, and is seen as crucial to the security and long-term credibility of the western military pact.
The ISAF mission was mandated by the United Nations in December 2001, in the wake of the overthrow of the Taliban.
The largest troop contingents come from the US with 23,220 followed by Britain with 8,910 and Germany with 3,500.
American President Barack Obama announced that he would boost the number of US soldiers in Afghanistan by around 17,000.
However, he has also urged European allies to make a similar commitment.
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