Posted on 02/15/2006 2:43:04 PM PST by naturalman1975
AUSTRALIAN soldiers could be deployed to an area of Afghanistan that has been hit by an increase in suicide bombings, defence force chiefs have said.
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston gave more details yesterday to a Senate estimates hearing on proposals to send another 200 Australian soldiers to Afghanistan as part of NATO efforts to stabilise the country.
He said the Diggers were likely to join a 900-strong Dutch Provincial Reconstruction Team in Oruzgan province of south-central Afghanistan.
The Australian contribution was likely to include a mix of army engineers as well as combat troops geared to protect the unit.
Australia already has a 190-strong special forces task group in Oruzgan province, which is reported to have had regular firefights with Taliban and al-Qaida fighters.
Another 110 troops are to be sent to the area to fly and service two Australian Chinook helicopters.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said insurgents were changing their tactics in a bid to topple the country's new government.
"In the past there was a tendency for them to use guerilla marauding tactics almost exclusively. What we have seen in the last three months or so is the emergence of terrorist suicide bomber type tactics," he said.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the defence force was waiting for formal Federal Government approval of the plan.
It is expected the Australian units will arrive mid-year.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned that foreign troops may be needed in his country until 2015.
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