Austria to send 160 troops to EU mission in Chad
November 7, 2007 (VIENNA) — Austria plans to send 160 troops to join the European Union’s peace-keeping force in Chad, Defence Minister Norbert Darabos told a press conference on Tuesday.
The Austrian mission, which will include special combat units, medical and logistic personnel and patrols, will serve a preliminary six-month term, which can be extended for no longer than six months, said Darabos.
They will be dispatched to eastern Chad to provide security and medical services for refugees concentrated in the area, he said.
According to local media, the Austrian troops will enter the African country in mid-November and start functioning at the beginning of 2008.
The situation in the eastern area of Chad, which borders Sudan’s Darfur region, has been rather turbulent.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution in September, which endorsed a UN delegate to east Chad and northeast Central Africa and authorized an EU mission to the region.
(Xinhua)