India to send more forces to guard its men in Afghanistan

New Delhi, June 25 (UNI) Amid reports that the Taliban has become active in South Afghanistan, India has decided to send additional forces to step up security to Indians engaged in the construction of 220-km Zaranj-Delaram Highway in the troubled neighbouring country.

Home Ministry sources said here today that 134 commandos of the Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP) would be sent to Afghanistan next month.

An ITBP Spokesman said they would be sent in three batches with the first batch leaving on July 4. The second batch would leave on July 6 and the last batch after July 15.

He said 254 personnel of the ITBP have already been deployed in Afghanistan.

As many as 300 personnel of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) have been working on the strategic road project in Afghanistan. The road seeks to link Kandahar to Iran border.

The ITBP spokesman said the additional forces were being sent essentially to reinforce security in the violence-hit area, where the Taliban had struck a few times before.

A driver of the BRO, M K Kutty, was kidnapped and killed by the Taliban in November 2005.

A few months later, the rebels kidnapped and killed K Suryanarayana, a native of Karnataka, who was engaged in a telecom project.

All the ITBP commandos have been trained to work in the difficult terrain of the region. They have also been trained in guerilla warfare.

The Taliban has been against the construction of the Zaranj-Delaram highway as it is expected to boost development in the region.

UNI