Hungary to send helicopters to Afghanistan

Hungary is refurbishing two Mi-17helicopters and sending them to Afghanistan along with a 30-membercrew, Defense Minister Imre Szekeres told Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

The project is part of a multi-NATO member effort involving nine nations which will chip in on the refurbishment and maintenance.

Though the choppers will only begin flying in 2011, Hungary plans to alter its Afghanistan role next year -- it will focus on training local Afghan forces rather than on construction and protection of Kabul Airport, which it has been doing up till now. Szekeres said Hungary would increase the number of staff officers and instructors working in the war-torn country.

In addition, Hungary has obtained several drones, which it plans to put into operation within the next six months. One job for the drones will be to protect the Hungarian military camp at Baghlan in northern Afghanistan.

Hungary currently has 1,000 troops serving in international missions, of which slightly over 300 are in Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua