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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Australia to double Afghan force | Australia to double Afghan force |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Australia plans to almost double its troop numbers in Afghanistan by next year amid warnings that the Taleban insurgency shows no sign of weakening. | |
| Prime Minister John Howard said without an extra effort, the fight against the militants would not be won. He warned the country to prepare for casualties. | |
| Six Canadian soldiers died at the weekend in the worst single incident for the Nato-led force since 2005. | |
| Australia currently has some 550 soldiers in Afghanistan. | |
| Mr Howard said the extra troops would include 300 special forces. | Mr Howard said the extra troops would include 300 special forces. |
| "We're not losing the war but we will not win it without renewed and increased effort," he said. | |
| He also criticised those European countries which, while contributing troops, have placed a series of restrictions on the kind of activities their deployments can undertake. | |
| Some of these caveats were lifted at a Nato conference late last year, but Germany, France and Italy will still only send their troops to trouble spots outside their patrol areas in an emergency. | |
| Dangerous region | Dangerous region |
| The total Australian deployment in Afghanistan will reach approximately 950 by mid-2007, and will peak at about 1,000 in the middle of 2008, according to Mr Howard. | The total Australian deployment in Afghanistan will reach approximately 950 by mid-2007, and will peak at about 1,000 in the middle of 2008, according to Mr Howard. |
| "We have done this against the background of a deterioration in the security environment in southern Afghanistan," he told a news conference. | "We have done this against the background of a deterioration in the security environment in southern Afghanistan," he told a news conference. |
| He said the special forces commandos would be sent to Uruzgan province, where a smaller task force operated for a year until last September. | He said the special forces commandos would be sent to Uruzgan province, where a smaller task force operated for a year until last September. |
| "Their role will be to enhance provincial security by disrupting Taleban command and control supply routes, and they will directly support the Australian reconstruction task force," Mr Howard said. | "Their role will be to enhance provincial security by disrupting Taleban command and control supply routes, and they will directly support the Australian reconstruction task force," Mr Howard said. |
| The area is in the south-east of Afghanistan, near the heart of the Taleban rebellion. | The area is in the south-east of Afghanistan, near the heart of the Taleban rebellion. |
| "I should make it clear that all of the intelligence advice suggests that there is a heightened security risk," Mr Howard said. | "I should make it clear that all of the intelligence advice suggests that there is a heightened security risk," Mr Howard said. |
| "There is the distinct possibility of casualties, and that should be understood and prepared for by the Australian public." | |
| Other deployments will include air force radar crews in Kandahar, extra logistics and intelligence officers and an increased numbers of security personnel. | Other deployments will include air force radar crews in Kandahar, extra logistics and intelligence officers and an increased numbers of security personnel. |
| Taleban resurgence | Taleban resurgence |
| Last year saw the fiercest fighting in Afghanistan since coalition troops ousted the Taleban in 2001, with some 4,000 people believed to have been killed - about a quarter of them civilians. | Last year saw the fiercest fighting in Afghanistan since coalition troops ousted the Taleban in 2001, with some 4,000 people believed to have been killed - about a quarter of them civilians. |
| The situation has been getting worse still in recent months. | The situation has been getting worse still in recent months. |
| The Taleban are maintaining strong opposition to Nato, particularly in the south and east. Helmand has been the focus of a recent operation by Isaf troops against militants. | |
| Australia, a close US ally, was one of the first nations to commit troops to Afghanistan in late 2001, to join the US-led war to oust the Taleban and al-Qaeda. | Australia, a close US ally, was one of the first nations to commit troops to Afghanistan in late 2001, to join the US-led war to oust the Taleban and al-Qaeda. |
| Mr Howard's government has also sent about 1,500 troops to Iraq - a deployment which is fiercely opposed by the opposition Labor Party. | Mr Howard's government has also sent about 1,500 troops to Iraq - a deployment which is fiercely opposed by the opposition Labor Party. |
| Labor has so far supported Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan. | Labor has so far supported Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan. |
| Mr Howard said he had discussed the increased Afghan deployment with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US commanders during his visit last month to Kabul. | Mr Howard said he had discussed the increased Afghan deployment with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US commanders during his visit last month to Kabul. |