Britain to Send up to 1,500 Troops to Afghanistan

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Britain to Send up to 1,500 Troops to Afghanistan

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday that Britain would send up to 1,500 troops to Afghanistan to take part in an international peace-keeping force there.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday that Britain would send up to 1,500 troops to Afghanistan to take part in an international peace-keeping force there.

He also made it clear that Britain was prepared in principle to lead such a force.

"The British contingent is likely to be up to 1,000 to 1,500, though I stress that this is not yet decided," Blair told the House of Commons.

When asked by parliament members about how long British forces would be in place, Blair said the details were yet to be finalized, but that it would not be a long-term commitment.

"At the moment people are talking in terms of several months. So that would mean the British force is not there on a long-term basis -- it is to get the security force going," Blair said.

"Britain is willing in principle to lead such a force," Blair said, adding that it was likely to "comprise troops from various countries, European and others".

Earlier, Blair's spokesman said that the advance troops of an international force might be deployed in Kabul by December 22, when an interim government takes office in Afghanistan.

But he said a full peace force was unlikely to be in place by then.

"I don't think anyone is expecting the totality of any force to have their boots on the ground by that point. But that is not to say that there may not be forces in Kabul by then," the spokesman said.

The British government and Blair have been under pressure in recent days to formally announce a peacekeeping deployment to Afghanistan and a leading role in the force, particularly after United States Secretary of State Colin Powell last week welcomed Britain's decision to take a leading role.

Britain Expected to Lead Afghan Peacekeeping Force: Reports

Britain Could Send 10,000 Troops to Afghanistan: Newspaper