Confusion Over Alliance - European Military Cooperation in Afghanistan

14/05/2001| IslamWeb

PARIS (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Britain, France and Germany led European moves on Friday to send troops into Afghanistan, but there was confusion over whether they would actually be welcome when they arrived.As the multi-national mission to protect the distribution of food to millions of needy Afghans gathered momentum, the victorious anti-Taliban Northern Alliance said it had not been told of the arrival of British troops and queried whether they should stay.
``Their arrival was not coordinated with us. Their arrival was their own decision and they did not inform us about this. Maybe they will go back,'' spokesman Mohammad Habeel told Reuters in the Afghan capital.
But the British Foreign Office insisted there had been full consultations with the Northern Alliance before the overnight deployment of 100 Royal Marines at Bagram air base north of Kabul.
``My information is that we discussed the deployment of our troops with the Northern Alliance at the highest levels,'' a Foreign Office spokesman told Reuters.
Diplomatic sources admitted the apparent communications breakdown was worrying, with growing signs of tensions between the different ethnic groups that make up the alliance.