Government sends Special Forces to Afghanistan

Sixty-six Slovak soldiers, including members of the special task forces, health care staff and communication specialists, will serve in the new NATO training operation in Afghanistan called Resolute Support. Part of the Slovak contingent will be based at the operation command centre, while others will provide logistical support for the mission and train Afghani soldiers. Slovakia will spend almost €10.4 million on the mission next year. The Resolute Support mission will be aimed mainly on providing training and support for the Afghani National Security Forces. It will be much smaller than the ISAF mission and will be of a non-combatant nature. As Defence Minister Glvac stated Slovakia has withdrawn 350 soldiers from the ISAF mission and is sending 66 people, not armed combatants, but mentors and instructors. Slovakia's participation in the new mission must still be approved by Parliament.