Tvrdik plans to send 120 soldiers to Afghanistan

The Czech Defence Minister, Jaroslav Tvrdik, plans to send some 120 Czech soldiers to Afghanistan to take part in the international anti-terrorist operation 'Enduring Freedom'. The soldiers are to be members of a special forces unit and will be deployed on February 1st next year if the operation is given the green light from both government and parliament. The mission is not to exceed a period of four months. The defence minister expects to finance the operation by calling back most members of the Czech anti-chemical unit, currently in Kuwait, by the beginning of next year instead of in May 2003 as initially planned.