AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's contingent of crack special forces returned home from Afghanistan Tuesday and no decision will be made on their replacement until next year, Defence Minister Phil Goff said.
The 50 Special Air Service (SAS) troops returned home after a six month deployment, partly aimed at providing security in the lead up to Afghanistan's parliamentary elections in September.
The SAS has had three six-month deployments in Afghanistan but no decision will be made immediately on sending another contingent.
“It won't be considered until next year,” a spokesman for Goff said.
New Zealand also has 120 troops involved in provincial reconstruction in Afghanistan.
The return comes a day after Prime Minister Helen Clark said it was unlikely New Zealand would commit more troops to Afghanistan to fill a void left by the planned pullout of 4,000 US troops next year.
Britain's The Guardian newspaper reported that Britain has been trying to pull together a coalition to fill the gap.
Although Foreign Minister Winston Peters had indicated New Zealand troops could extend their tour of duty in Afghanistan and the government might increase troop numbers, Clark said this was not under consideration.
“For a small country we have made an incredible commitment to Afghanistan and it's unlikely that that commitment could be further extended.”
