France/Afghanistan

Military means in Afghanistan to be strengthened, says Fillon

Article published on the 2008-09-22 Latest update 2008-09-22 17:43 TU

French soldiers in the Afghan province of Kapisa.
(Photo : AFP)

France plans to add more helicopters, drones, intelligence-gathering equipment and about 100 more troops to Afghanistan, Prime Minister François Fillon announced on Monday. Fillon addressed lawmakers during a debate on whether French troops should be kept in Afghanistan. The reinforcements should be put into place within the next few weeks.

Both houses of parliament, dominated by President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing party, supported maintaining the nearly 3,000-strong contingent, one of the largest serving in Nato's Afghanistan mission.

Over the weekend, Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper quoted a secret Nato report over the weekend, saying Taliban fighters who ambushed the 30 French soldiers on 18 August were better armed than the French. The document reportedly said the paratroopers had run out of ammunition after only 90 minutes, and had only one radio that was quickly knocked out, leaving them unable to call for air support in a battle that raged on for hours.

"We have learned the lessons of the murderous ambush" in which 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 others wounded east of Kabul last month, Fillon said to parliament.

The UN Security Council on Monday also followed suit, extending the Nato mandate for another year.