Jordan Times
Friday - Saturday, November 16 - 17, 2001
Jordan to send troops to Afghanistan — Abul Ragheb
By Saad G. Hattar
AMMAN — Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb said on Thursday that Jordan agreed to send troops soon to Afghanistan as part of a “humanitarian” peacekeeping mission under the United Nations umbrella.“Genuine discussion is now under way to send forces to Afghanistan within the framework of a humanitarian mission,” said Abul Ragheb in a press conference.
He referred to setting up “field hospitals and medical centres such as those erected in Ramallah (the West Bank) and Sierra Leone,” as well as providing “services to the injured and needy” in the war-torn Asian country. The hospital would be erected in “a non-combat zone, probably in Mazar-e-Sharif,” in northern Afghanistan, the prime minister said. “Our troops will also protect supply roads and work towards restoring order and security.”
He noted, however, that the authorities were still discussing “a request [from the UN] to this effect and means to safeguard the Jordanian soldiers” when they deploy in Afghanistan.
“The picture will be clear in the coming few days,” he explained.
Abul Ragheb recalled that Jordan was in favour of the US-led campaign against international terrorism, and said that joining peacekeeping forces was one way of contributing to this effort.
The extremist Taleban regime, which hosts alleged terrorist Osama Ben Laden, crumbled over the past five days under more than a month of successive US-British pounding. Jordan has dismantled at least 10 extremist organisations over the past decade, many of them with links to Al Qaeda, the group led by Ben Laden.
In his remarks, Abul Ragheb hailed the Jordan Armed Forces' record as a leading component in peacekeeping missions in former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone and East Timor (Indonesia).
“Jordan must have a role as an Arab and Muslim country in bringing positive support to the Afghan people,” he added, recalling Amman's participation in UN peacekeeping in Croatia, Bosnia, Sierra Leone and East Timor.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in an interview on Thursday with the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat that Britain has had talks with Jordan and other Muslim states about joining a Muslim peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
He said it was up to the countries concerned to disclose the contents of the talks, according to the daily.
Asked about what role such a force could have, he said it would have to ensure security at airports and logistical efforts linked to airports.
It would also have police duties, and would have to work in cooperation with the international community, which may end up staying in Afghanistan for long periods to set up a civil administration and government, he reportedly said.