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France to send more troops to Afghanistan: report
France to send more troops to Afghanistan: report
Updated Tue. Feb. 26 2008 12:57 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
France may be sending hundreds of ground troops to eastern Afghanistan to help NATO- led forces in the battle against al Queda insurgents, a French newspaper is reporting. The move comes as Canada has been appealing its NATO allies for troop reinforcements in the more dangerous southern region of Afghanistan.
The Le Monde report said the French move is part of a new Afghan policy being worked out by President Nicholas Sarkozy.
France has just under 2,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan, but most of those are located in the relatively-calm capital of Kabul. The fresh troops are expected to be placed outside of the capital, closer to the dangerous areas surrounding the Pakistan border.
Canadian officials have had talks this month to Paris about supporting Canada's mission in the volatile-region of Kandahar. A government motion has been put before the house to extend Canada's mission past 2009 until the end of 2011, provided that NATO reinforces the Canadian contingent with additional troops.
CTV's South Asia Bureau chief, Paul Workman, spoke to Canada AM from Kandahar and said that the Canadian military will probably be disappointed that the French troops won't be assisting their mission.
"The Canadian Forces leadership might consider it a setback," Workman said of the report.
But Workman said there could be a bright side, with the French troops allowing for the possibility of freeing up American forces to be assigned to the Kandahar region.
NATO has about 42,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, 14,000 of whom are American. Canada has a force of about 2,500 in Kandahar.
Workman noted that the Canadian and U.S. military have a strong working relationship in Afghanistan.
The Le Monde report said that Sarkozy would make an official announcement of France's extended military commitment at a NATO summit in April.
Since his election victory in May, France has sent more combat aircraft to Kandahar and has strengthened French efforts in training the Afghan army.