Germany to send AWACS planes to Afghanistan

Saturday July 04, 2009 (0155 PST)

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BERLIN: Germany’s parliament (Bubdestag) approved sending four Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) planes to Afghanistan to assist the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in protecting the country’s air space.

According to the decision made late Thursday, AWACS planes, which will be used in Afghanistan until December 13, will be accompanied by 300 German soldiers.

AWACS planes will support military operations of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The decision was supported by 461 members of parliament and rejected by 81, while 15 abstained.

On Thursday, a funeral was held for three German soldiers who were killed in clashes with Taliban militants in northern Afghanistan. There are about 4,500 German soldiers in Afghanistan.

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