JiiVee
06-13-2010, 05:19 PM
Commander of Finnish forces in Afghanistan expects “hot” summer
Finns and Swedes come under attack
The commander of Finnish crisis management forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant-Colonel Ari Grönroos, believes that attacks by Taleban rebels against Finnish forces will increase in the coming months.
“This summer will probably be hotter than the previous one”, Grönroos said by telephone from his base in Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of Afghanistan.
Grönroos says that attacks by rebels have increased all over the north of Afghanistan from last year.
The summer generally makes the rebels more active. Last summer Finns were involved in a number of firefights.
Grönroos says that the rebels are the most active in the summer, because they can be more mobile when there is no snow or cold weather.
“Naturally, the elections being held in September also have an impact.
Originally scheduled for May, the Parliamentary elections were moved to the autumn, because May is the time that armed rebels are at their most active.
Grönroos does not believe that the recent push of US forces deeper into the southern Kandahar Province would incite the Taleban to greater resistance in the north.
The Finns got a taste of what may be to come on Wednesday, when a Finnish-Swedish patrol came under fire west of Mazar-i-Sharif. The attack occurred as the soldiers were trying to get a Swedish vehicle that had got stuck on the road back on the move.
Grönroos says that the greater rebel activity is not a matter of very great concern for the Finns.
“The spirit of the Finnish forces is excellent. They are fulfilling their duty along with the Swedes in the best possible manner.”
HS
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Commander+of+Finnish+forces+in+Afghanistan+expects +%E2%80%9Chot%E2%80%9D+summer/1135257478356
Finns and Swedes come under attack
The commander of Finnish crisis management forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant-Colonel Ari Grönroos, believes that attacks by Taleban rebels against Finnish forces will increase in the coming months.
“This summer will probably be hotter than the previous one”, Grönroos said by telephone from his base in Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of Afghanistan.
Grönroos says that attacks by rebels have increased all over the north of Afghanistan from last year.
The summer generally makes the rebels more active. Last summer Finns were involved in a number of firefights.
Grönroos says that the rebels are the most active in the summer, because they can be more mobile when there is no snow or cold weather.
“Naturally, the elections being held in September also have an impact.
Originally scheduled for May, the Parliamentary elections were moved to the autumn, because May is the time that armed rebels are at their most active.
Grönroos does not believe that the recent push of US forces deeper into the southern Kandahar Province would incite the Taleban to greater resistance in the north.
The Finns got a taste of what may be to come on Wednesday, when a Finnish-Swedish patrol came under fire west of Mazar-i-Sharif. The attack occurred as the soldiers were trying to get a Swedish vehicle that had got stuck on the road back on the move.
Grönroos says that the greater rebel activity is not a matter of very great concern for the Finns.
“The spirit of the Finnish forces is excellent. They are fulfilling their duty along with the Swedes in the best possible manner.”
HS
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Commander+of+Finnish+forces+in+Afghanistan+expects +%E2%80%9Chot%E2%80%9D+summer/1135257478356