Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Norwegian special forces engage Taliban in Afghanistan


27.03.2006


The Norwegian Defence Central Command has for the first time confirmed that Norwegian special forces have several times been directly engeged in heavy fighting against the Taliban and Al Qaida in Afghanistan. The Norwegian unit recently ended its mission in Afghanistan.

The Norwegian special forces unit consists of only a few hundred soldiers.
The special force is used in dangerous, controversial and secret missions outside Norway, and it was engaged in Afghanistan only a few weeks ago.

Only a few persons are informed about the identity of the soldiers, and what they do.

Chief of Joint Operations, Jan Reksten, says the Norwegians have been engaged in very difficult situations, but will not comment on the question of whether or not lives may have been lost.

He admits that the special force has needed air support in order to get out of tight situations, including the dropping of bombs.

The Norwegian special force has over the past few years carried out several secret missions abroad, acording to public broadcaster NRK.

(NRK)

Rolleiv Solholm

http://www.norwaypost.no/cgi-bin/norwaypost/imaker?id=23121