Afghanistan mission extended

ANKARA

Turkey has agreed to extend by one year its command of NATO peacekeepers in the Afghan capital of Kabul, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) announced on Sept. 20. Turkey originally took over the Kabul Regional Command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for one year on Nov. 1, 2009. “Within the framework of the activities of NATO’s ISAF in Afghanistan, it has been decided to extend for one year the Kabul Region Commandership, which was assumed by our country on Nov. 1, 2009, starting from Nov. 1, 2012,” the TSK said in a statement posted on its official website.

Al-Qaeda claim denied

Unlike other European members of ISAF, Turkey’s mission is limited to patrols, and its troops do not take part in combat operations. Meanwhile, the TSK denied the claim that the U.S. demanded Turkey fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan and al-Qaeda in post-al-Assad Syria in return for intelligence-sharing in Ankara’s anti-terror fight, adding that Gen. Necdet Özel and his U.S. counterpart did not discuss such a thing.