A 53-member contingent of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Armed Forces left on Friday for peace mission in Afghanistan, BiH Armed Forces (BiHAF) statement said.
A total of 49 men and 4 women soldiers belonging to 5thInfantry Unit of BiHAF departed from “Dubrave” barracks near the city of Tuzla located 120 kilometers northeast of the capital Sarajevo.
In the framework of “Determined Support” peace mission, infantry unit will spend the next 6 months in Afghanistan, and depending on the situation, there is an opportunity to stay for a month longer.
In the past six months, soldiers have undergone special training where they have achieved the required standards and are fully prepared to carry out the tasks that will be asked from them.
“They will work on the control at the airport in Afghanistan. This way, our members are protected from external attacks and have a fairly good status in the segment of protection and the ability to perform their tasks in the best way,” Chief of Joint Staff of BiHAF Senad Masovic stated during the ceremony.
Masovic added that members of BiHAF will continue participating in peace missions in the United Nations, NATO and the European Union, with the tendency to increase the contribution in 2019.
Brigadier General Kenan Dautovic said that this is an extremely important mission for BiH soldiers, adding that BiHAF Operational Command prepares members to respond to all the challenges in any of the missions to which they are sent.
BiH Armed Forces have been present in Afghanistan since 2009, with more than 1,300 members involved in the peace mission so far.
(Source: Xinhua, Sarajevo Times)
