World | Afghanistan
France to reinforce Afghan Nato troops
France has pledged on Thursday to send reinforcements to Nato troops stationed in Afghanistan, as fresh Nato-led forces bomb Kandahar, killing three.
- Agencies
- Published: 14:02 April 3, 2008
Bucharest: France has pledged on Thursday to send reinforcements to Nato troops stationed in Afghanistan, as fresh Nato-led forces bomb Kandahar, killing three.
At the ongoing Nato summit, France confirmed that it would send fresh troops to east Afghanistan to boost the alliance's forces there.
France will send up to 1,000 troops allowing US forces to reinforce suffering Canadian troops, and thus averting a Canadian threat to pull out from the region.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's offer comes ahead of a possible French return to Nato's military command after an almost forty year absence.
After the summits first session, a Nato spokesman said: "I can confirm the French government has offered a substantial military contribution to operations in Afghanistan.''
A Nato aircraft was targeting suspected insurgents near a southern city in Kandahar on Wednesday night, the official added.
It is still unknown whether the casualties are civilians or militants.
Nato's spokeswoman could not confirm the attack.
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