First detachment of French troops leave for Afghanistan

Posted: 1:45 AM (Manila Time) | November 17, 2001

By Agence France-Presse

ISTRES AIR BASE, France—A first detachment of some 60 French troops left Istres air base Friday for the strategic northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif to help secure the airport and deliver humanitarian aid.

A second Transall plane, carrying 28 more soldiers—among them marine infantry, doctors, logistical experts and officers with the French joint chiefs of staff—was also due to depart from the Mediterranean air base.

The troops are part of a larger contingent of around 300 soldiers who will deploy over the weekend via Turkey and Uzbekistan to help de-mine and secure the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif, Colonel Jean-Marc Salliard told Agence France-Presse.

The defense ministry said in a statement the first unit would be responsible for "creating favorable conditions for the work of international and non-governmental organizations". It is part of a vanguard force that France is contributing to Afghanistan "as part of a coalition operation, notably with the United States, (to) secure access and distribution of humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees".

The French move follows the dispatch of about 100 British troops, who landed at Bagram airport just north of the capital Kabul late Thursday in the first overt deployment by a Western country in Afghanistan.

US and British special forces have already been operating in Afghanistan covertly for a number of weeks.

"We are flexible and pragmatic," Colonel Christian Baptiste, a spokesperson for the French joint chiefs of staff, told Agence France-Presse when asked about the future of the French mission in Afghanistan. France would send a "sufficient and necessary" number of troops to Afghanistan, he said.

France has mobilized 2,000 troops overall—marines. air force and reconnaissance personnel—for the US-led military campaign against terrorism declared after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

In brief remarks made at the Elysee Palace, French President Jacques Chirac expressed his "gratitude and solidarity" with the soldiers leaving for Afghanistan.

The French troops acquired their experience in the former Yugoslavia, Albania and various African countries working with non-governmental organizations, the ministry said.

Opposition Northern Alliance forces took over Mazar-i-Sharif last Friday at the start of a lightning offensive across Afghanistan that has since the hardline Taliban withdraw from the capital Kabul.

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Answers

France has an army???

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

I wonder who's going to break the news to them that Afghanistan doesn't have winecellars. It's gonna break their hearts...

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Now Deb, we don't know just what they have hidden away in those caves. :>)

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Somebody needs to give the Taliban's surrender lessons... who better?

Plus they can save lot's of money bunking with the Canadians...

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Diane,

Lol! (Good to see you again, btw!)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2001

Who was it called them "cheese-eating surrender monkeys"?

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2001