NZ SAS eyed for Afghan mission

Britain is expected to approach New Zealand about joining a counter-insurgency coalition in Afghanistan that could commit troops to a decade-long operation.

Britain plans talks with New Zealand, Australia, Canada and other countries early next month about forming a force to replace the declining United States presence early next year.

A commitment would potentially put New Zealand troops in a volatile Afghanistan as it seeks to stabilise the nation in the post-Taleban period where al Qaeda operations continue to escalate.

New Zealand already has 50 Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers based in southern Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday that it would be up to the Cabinet whether the SAS troops would stay on after the US pulls out 4000 soldiers early next year.

She was commenting on a report in Britain's Guardian newspaper that the British Government was approaching New Zealand and other countries in a bid to build a coalition.

"The debate is not whether, but to what extent, these troops will get into counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics," a British military source was quoted as saying.

"We are not talking war fighting. But there is potential for armed conflict in some areas.

"The reality is that there are warlords, drug traffickers, al Qaeda, al Qaeda wannabes and Taleban.

The talks come as British allies in Europe, such as France and Germany, have refused to allow their troops to become involved.

Helen Clark said New Zealand's SAS troops were nearing the end of their third deployment.

"Whether or not there are future deployments will be an issue for Cabinet to consider in future."

Australia confirmed yesterday it was in talks about sending troops to southern Afghanistan.

Britain has been trying to pull together a coalition to fill the gap in advance of a Nato meeting in Brussels on December 7, the Guardian said.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence in Wellington last night said it was not aware of any talks.

The Government has maintained a policy of secrecy over New Zealand SAS operations in Afghanistan, during which several SAS soldiers have been injured.

An SAS soldier last month suffered cuts to his legs and feet when an explosive device detonated during a routine movement of ordnance for disposal at a coalition base.

In June last year two SAS soldiers were wounded in a gun battle in central Afghanistan.

The Guardian reported that violence in Afghanistan is at its highest since the 2001 US-led invasion, with suicide bombers recently killing a German peacekeeper in Kabul and a British soldier dying in a gun battle in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Canada has 1500 troops in Afghanistan and offers to join the British-led force in the south have been received from the Netherlands, Denmark and Estonia.

NZ in Afghanistan

The commitment

* A Provincial Reconstruction Team of 120 personnel in Bamiyan to promote stability and security in the province. Pledged to remain until September next year.

* About 50 Special Air Service soldiers, now on their third rotation.

The cost

* About $110 million.

- Additional reporting: NZPA