More Finnish Troops to Afghanistan
The number of Finnish ISAF peacekeepers is to rise by about 60%.
Image: YLE
President Tarja Halonen and the government's committee on foreign and security policy decided on Friday to send 50 more Finnish troops to Afghanistan. The additional troops will cost Finland about 18 million euros this year and next year.
The committee also discussed Finland's overall participation in helping to stabilise Afghanistan.
Finland now has 121 troops in Northern Afghanistan as a part of a joint Finnish-Swedish ISAF operation based in Mazar-i-Sharif. The number will be expanded to a maximum of 195 soldiers.
Sweden has meanwhile asked Finland to take over responsibility for at least one of four provinces in the north.
Finland is also preparing to participate in an EU operation to train Somali peacekeeping troops.
"We're not a country at war, but our troops are in a situation that is definitely warlike. Anti-government groups in Afghanistan have managed to cause a lot of destruction," said Halonen.
Halonen added that the committee had been unanimous in its decision to deploy more troops to the country.
Finland's involvement in crisis management operations will be re-evalutaed at the end of 2011. Finland's future engagement in Afghanistan will largely depend on how well the Afghans will be equipped to take over crisis management activities.
YLE