The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will deployed two construction engineering teams to Bamiyan in Afghanistan this year, local TV Channel News Asia reported Friday.
The two teams, for about three months each, will support the multinational reconstruction effort there, said the report.
In addition, an SAF medical team comprising 20 nursing and medical officers will also be deployed to the provincial capital of Oruzgan.
About 2,000 SAF personnel have served in international missions.
Singapore's Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean was quoted as saying that it is important Singaporeans understand the reason behind such deployments.
"A number of JI (Jemaah Islamiyah) detainees who had planned attacks in Singapore had trained in Afghanistan, and more recently, a self-radicalized Singaporean was detained on the way to join the Taliban in Afghanistan," said Teo.
He added that "The international community recognizes that the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan is critical in the global fight against terrorism."
So Singapore will contribute where it can to enhance its overall security, Teo added.
Source: Xinhua
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