Government OKs Czech troops to stay in Afghanistan

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech defense ministry says the government has approved its plan to keep troops in Afghanistan for at least two more years.

The ministry said in a statement Monday that up to 350 soldiers will be deployed in Afghanistan in 2015 and 2016 as part of a NATO-led force.

Monday’s approval comes three months after five Czechs were killed by a suicide bomber in the eastern province of Parwan in what was largest number of Czechs killed in a single attack in a mission abroad.

The deployment is part of a plan of foreign missions for the next two years. The Czechs also pledge to stay in various international forces in the Balkans, Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.

The current center-left government has a majority in Parliament to approve it.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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