Elite reconnaissance unit returns from Afghanistan

A military counter-intelligence spokesman has revealed that the elite Czech reconnaissance unit completing its six-month mission has returned from Afghanistan. The unit took part in the anti-terrorism mission "Enduring Freedom" for the second time in the last two years, helping to search for al Qaeda and Taleban fighters in that country's mountainous regions.

The unit's commander Ondrej Palenik has been quoted as saying he considered it crucial that the more than one hundred members of the contingent had now returned home having fulfilled their duties.

At present, 82 Czech troops are deployed in a reconstruction team within NATO's ISAF mission and 18 troops operate at Kabul airport as part of ISAF. Next year, up to 90 new Czech soldiers are to leave for Kabul to take charge of the airport's operation for four months.