ZAGREB, March 6, 2020 – Croatia’s job in Afghanistan is done and going there today is probably the last Croatian army contingent, President Zoran Milanović said on Friday.
The Croatian army has participated in the missions in Afghanistan since 2003. Today the 12th contingent is departing for the Resolute Support mission. A decision to that effect was signed by Milanovic, the Armed Forces Supreme Commander.
“I didn’t want to dismantle a system that was built for 16 years and not sign the decision on sending another contingent to Afghanistan only two weeks after stepping into office,” he told reporters.
“But after that, especially in light of the US-Taliban agreements, our job there is done. Especially considering that the US signed those agreements on its behalf. The Afghan government didn’t participate in that, we even less. Therefore, we will be there for the next six months and I think that’s fair enough.”
He said a decision on the Croatian army leaving Afghanistan must be made by Croatian politicians. “Not the army, not our allies, not NATO and not the US on our behalf without our knowledge in negotiations we didn’t even know were taking place.”
“That’s a US right and in 16 years we have contributed to that mission. Our army is needed here,” said the president.
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