Spanish defense minister makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
December 29th, 2009 - 6:17 pm ICT by BNO News ( Leave a comment )WALA I NOW, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) — Spain’s Minister of Defence, Carmen Chacon, made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday, the NATO-led ISAF alliance said on Tuesday.
It was Chacon’s fourth visit to Afghanistan in the past twenty months. The minister arrived at a local airport in Qala I Now where she was greeted by Colonel Manuel Sierra, a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) commander. Chacon thanked the troops for their commitment and encouraged assigned soldiers to continue with the “important” mission of training Afghans.
While being accompanied by Chief of Army Staff General Coll Bucher and Lt. Gen. Rodriguez Fernandez, the chief of the Spanish defence staff, Chacon visited Spain’s new base in Afghanistan, built to receive the increasing Spanish troops responsible for carrying out mentoring missions in Bagdhis province.
The new base is expected to open early next year.
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Tags: afghanistan, afghans, army staff, bno, bucher, carmen chacon, chief of army, colonel, defence staff, defense minister, lt, minister of defence, missions, nato, provincial reconstruction team, qala, sierra, spain, spanish troops, surprise visit
