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| Afghanistan: New Zealand boosts army commitment, by three | Afghanistan: New Zealand boosts army commitment, by three |
| (5 months later) | |
| Government announces extra non-combat personnel, boosting contingent to 13, as part of Nato mission, but still to decide about Trump’s call for fighting troops | |
| Reuters | |
| Fri 25 Aug 2017 02.25 BST | |
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| Just days after the United States said it would increase troop numbers in Afghanistan and ask its allies to do the same, New Zealand has announced an extra three non-combat military personnel, boosting its military commitment to 13. | Just days after the United States said it would increase troop numbers in Afghanistan and ask its allies to do the same, New Zealand has announced an extra three non-combat military personnel, boosting its military commitment to 13. |
| Donald Trump on Monday unveiled his strategy to end the conflict in Afghanistan, committing the United States to an open-ended conflict and signalling he would dispatch more troops to America’s longest war. | Donald Trump on Monday unveiled his strategy to end the conflict in Afghanistan, committing the United States to an open-ended conflict and signalling he would dispatch more troops to America’s longest war. |
| US officials have said the president signed off on plans to send about 4,000 more troops to add to the roughly 8,400 now deployed in Afghanistan. The US defence secretary, James Mattis, has since said that exact troop numbers are yet to be decided. | US officials have said the president signed off on plans to send about 4,000 more troops to add to the roughly 8,400 now deployed in Afghanistan. The US defence secretary, James Mattis, has since said that exact troop numbers are yet to be decided. |
| Trump said he would ask coalition allies to support his new strategy, with additional troops and funding, to end the 16-year conflict. | Trump said he would ask coalition allies to support his new strategy, with additional troops and funding, to end the 16-year conflict. |
| New Zealand defence minister Mark Mitchell’s announcement boosting the country’s Kabul-based troops to 13 follows a request for Nato to send more troops to Afghanistan earlier this year. | New Zealand defence minister Mark Mitchell’s announcement boosting the country’s Kabul-based troops to 13 follows a request for Nato to send more troops to Afghanistan earlier this year. |
| New Zealand has had troops in Afghanistan since 2001. Its presence has been decreasing since 2013 but it has kept some personnel on the ground to train local officers. | New Zealand has had troops in Afghanistan since 2001. Its presence has been decreasing since 2013 but it has kept some personnel on the ground to train local officers. |
| “New Zealand will continue to stand alongside our partners in supporting stability in Afghanistan and countering the threat of international terrorism,” said Mitchell. | “New Zealand will continue to stand alongside our partners in supporting stability in Afghanistan and countering the threat of international terrorism,” said Mitchell. |
| The New Zealand prime minister, Bill English, said the government had ruled out making a decision on sending combat troops to Afghanistan before New Zealand’s election on 23 September. | The New Zealand prime minister, Bill English, said the government had ruled out making a decision on sending combat troops to Afghanistan before New Zealand’s election on 23 September. |
| The opposition leader, Jacinda Ardern, told local media this week she would not back sending troops to Afghanistan at the moment but was not privy to intelligence such decisions were based on. | The opposition leader, Jacinda Ardern, told local media this week she would not back sending troops to Afghanistan at the moment but was not privy to intelligence such decisions were based on. |
| New Zealand | |
| Afghanistan | |
| Asia Pacific | |
| South and Central Asia | |
| news | |
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