Georgia sends first troops to Afghanistan

The ex-Soviet republic of Georgia sent its first troops to Afghanistan on Monday to join Nato-led counter-insurgency operations, the Georgian defence ministry said. "A company, 173 troops, of the Second Infantry Brigade will be sent Monday to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force," ministry spokesman Levan Papaskiri told AFP.
Television pictures showed a farewell ceremony as the soldiers said goodbye to their families and held a minute of silence for Georgian troops killed during the country's war with Russia last year. Papaskiri said the company would serve under French command. France has the fourth-largest contingent in the Nato-led force battling the Taliban in Afghanistan, with around 3,750 personnel assigned to the mission.