Troops staying in Afghanistan

John Key. Photo by Getty

Twenty-seven New Zealand troops will stay on in Afghanistan for about a year following the withdrawal of the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team in April this year, Prime Minister John Key has announced.

Mr Key said the ongoing commitment to the Nato ISAF operation in Afghanistan would mostly comprise of "behind the wire" roles at ISAF headquarters in Kabul.

However, the ongoing commitment included three NZ SAS personnel in "planning and logistics" roles.

The Nato ISAF presence is expected to remain in Afghanistan until December next year but Mr Key said that timetable and the term of New Zealand's on-going commitment could change depending on events.

Mr Key described the ongoing commitment as "a legacy contingent" which would "back up a decade of work" in Bamiyan province by the PRT and also to "honour" the 10 NZDF personnel who'd been killed during its decade-long deployment in Afghanistan. ?

- By Adam Bennett of the New Zealand Herald

Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/246168/troops-staying-afghanistan

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