Country make-up of NATO-led peacekeepers in Afghanistan

KABUL (AFP) Jun 22, 2004
Mandated by the United Nations and currently commanded by NATO, the International Security Assistance Force has been operating in Afghanistan's capital Kabul since shortly after the late 2001 fall of the Taliban.

ISAF was created in accordance with the Bonn Conference in December 2001 and the first mission was undertaken by the United Kingdom.

A multinational reconnaissance team arrived in Kabul on January 1, 2002, to bolster British marines stationed here ahead of the arrival of ISAF.

NATO assumed command of the force in August 2003, making Afghanistan the alliance's first ever mission outside the Euro-Atlantic region.

In December 2003, NATO agreed to expand the force beyond Kabul and late that month a German contingent took control of provincial reconstruction team in the northeastern city of Kunduz.

There are more than 6,400 ISAF troops in Afghanistan from the following countries:

NATO NATIONS

Belgium - 293

Bulgaria - 34

Canada - 1,576

Czech Republic - 19

Denmark - 57

Estonia - 7

France - 565

Germany - 1,909

Greece - 127

Hungary - 26

Iceland - 17

Italy - 491

Latvia - 2

Lithuania - 6

Luxembourg - 9

Netherlands - 153

Norway - 147

Poland - 22

Portugal - 8

Romania - 32

Slovakia - 17

Slovenia - 18

Spain - 125

Turkey - 161

United Kingdom - 315

United States - 67

NON-NATO NATIONS

Austria - 3

Afghanistan - 81

Albania - 22

Azerbaijan - 22

Croatia - 47

Finland - 48

FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - 11

Ireland - 6

New Zealand - 6

Sweden - 19

Switzerland - 4

Total: 6,472

- Figures supplied by the International Security Assistance Force and correct as at June 14, 2004.

WAR.WIRE