Lithuania to send more troops to Afghanistan

VILNIUS - As NATO prepares to send more troops to Afghanistan, Lithuania also plans to increase its contingent in the volatile Asian country.

Seven servicemen from the Deployable Communications and Information Systems Module will in the fall join the 21 Lithuanian troops currently serving in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry has told BNS.

The ministry is considering further increasing Lithuania's contribution to NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan over time.

"Twenty-one Lithuanian troops are currently serving in Afghanistan and they will be joined by another seven in September," the ministry said in a comment to BNS.

"The security situation in Afghanistan is not improving and, therefore, Lithuania, as a NATO member state, is currently assessing possibilities to send more troops," it said.

The Seimas has given the green light for sending up to 50 Lithuanian troops to Afghanistan.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the Alliance would increase troop numbers in Afghanistan to help the government counter a resurgent Taliban.