Diggers bound for high-risk zone

The Australian ^ | 14th July 2005 | John Kerin and Mark Dodd

[naturalman1975]

AUSTRALIAN special forces will be sent to the most lawless areas of southern Afghanistan, where there has been the bloodiest fighting since the fundamentalist Taliban regime was overthrown in 2002.

John Howard announced yesterday that Australia would commit 150 special forces to work with US forces to hunt down al-Qa'ida and Taliban loyalists in southern Afghanistan, but warned there was a high risk of casualties.

"Military operations are dangerous ... the Australian military forces have been very fortunate in recent times ... although there have been casualties, they have not been extensive," the Prime Minister said.

Supporting the deployment, Kim Beazley demanded the Prime Minister devise an exit strategy to get out of Iraq. "Iraq's a quagmire and we need an exit strategy from it," the Opposition Leader said.

US and Afghan forces have been involved in daily clashes with groups of up to 300 guerilla fighters in the Zabul border region of southern Afghanistan since March.

Up to 600 guerilla fighters have been killed along with more than 30 Americans as US and NATO forces attempt to secure the country ahead of September parliamentary elections. In the latest clash, Taliban fighters beheaded 10 Afghan border guards.

Mr Beazley said Mr Howard should raise the issue of an exit strategy from Iraq with US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair when he meets them later this month.

The initial Afghan deployment is for 12 months and includes SAS, commandos, logistics and chemical and biological warfare specialists in case the insurgents have weapons of mass destruction.

The SAS will perform a similar role as it did in the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, where the task was to conduct secret reconnaissance missions to identify enemy strongholds and either eliminate fighters or call in coalition bombing raids.

Mr Howard said Australia would also consider sending a further 200 troops, including army engineers and logistics specialists, to help rebuild Afghanistan, bringing the total commitment to 350.

The troops will be under Australian command and adhere to Australian rules of engagement, but will be part of a broader US operation.

Mr Howard said the decision to send the special forces task group was made after requests from the US, British and Afghan governments.

"It's fair to say that the progress that's been made in the establishment of a legitimate government in Afghanistan has come under increasing attack and pressure from the Taliban in particular and some elements of al-Qa'ida," Mr Howard said.

But he said there were no plans to send more troops to Iraq, describing the current Australian deployment there as appropriate, despite reports earlier this week of a British request for Australia to take over control in the country's south.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence analyst Aldo Borgu said the new Afghanistan deployment was "certainly the most dangerous since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001".

"The resurgence of the Taliban and al-Qa'ida has been strong in the south and the fighting has been pretty willing," he said.

[Marine_Uncle]

I am sure these Australian forces will serve with honor and commitment and do their part to send some more sheetheads to the nether land.