Turkey is set to take over from France the Kabul command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for a year, a Turkish military spokesman said on Friday, Xinhua reported.
"Turkey will assume as of November 1, 2009, the ISAF regional command in Kabul for a year." Gen. Metin Gurak, head of the communication office of the Turkish General Staff, was quoted as saying by Turkey's Anatolia news agency at a weekly press briefing.
This is the second time Turkey has led the Kabul command and the country last took charge of the command in April 2007 for eight months.
Gurak said Turkish troop deployment for the mission had begun late in September and it would be completed within ten days.
The spokesman said the 1,700-Turkish contingent would not engage in anti-terrorism and anti-drug operations, and it would not participate in mine-cleaning missions, adding that the Turkish detachment in Afghanistan extends support for re-construction and educational efforts, and elections in Mazar-e-Sharif.