[originaltext] Australia is to send 150 special forces troops back to Afghani

Australia is to send 150 special forces troops back to Afghanistan by September. The Prime Minister John Howard said the deployment would last 12 months. The decision to send soldiers back followed a request for support from the Afghan government, Britain and the United States in the run-up to parliamentary elections in September. F. M reports from Sydney.
   "The Australian troops will be at the sharp end of efforts to combat violence by remnants of the Taliban and A1-Qaeda. Members of the special forces unit are expected to patrol remote parts of Afghanistan, searching for militants. The Prime Minister John Howard has insisted that the twelve month deployment would give the Afghan people the chance of peace and stability. He said his government would consider sending reinforcements if necessary."