Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 September / Тrend News corr E.Abbasli/ Azerbaijani Parliamentary Commission on Security and Defence approved the draft law to double the Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Afghanistan, Zahid Oruj, a member of the Commission, said to Trend on 18 September.
Azerbaijani President submitted a draft law to add one platoon to the Azerbaijani servicemen engaged in the peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan to the Parliament.
According to Oruj, the draft law will be discussed during the autumn session of the Parliament.
In 1997, a peacekeeping detachment was formed at the National Army of Azerbaijan. A peacekeeping battalion was later established. The number of Armed Forces of Azerbaijan in Iraq totalled 150 soldiers and 34 in Kosovo. The Azerbaijani soldiers controlled 18 villages in Kosovo. Over 400 Azerbaijani soldiers served in Kosovo. The Azerbaijani peacekeeping detachment in Kosovo operated within the Turkey's Armed Forces. There were 45 Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Afghanistan patrolling Kabul.
After the draft law has been passed, the number of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Afghanistan will account for 90, Spokesperson for Azerbaijani Defence Ministry Eldar Sabiroglu said to Trend .
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