NEW YORK - International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander Hilmi Akin Zorlu said on Tuesday that an operation against Iraq will increase terrorist actions in Afghanistan.
Zorlu who addressed Turkish reporters in New York where he will hold contacts said that only 850 of 4800 people in the personnel provide order and the rest work in logistics and headquarters, adding that there are 20 million mines in Afghanistan and they destroyed 107 thousand rockets, missiles and such weapons since they started their mission.
Noting that they are planning to train hundreds of Afghan officers in Turkey for Afghan officers, Zorlu said that a cooperation agreement for this is about to be signed.
Zorlu also said that a radio called ''Turkiyem'' broadcasts in Turkish, Pashto and Dari in Afghanistan.
As he was mentioning from consequences of a possible operation against Iraq, Zorlu said, ''a possible operation against Iraq increases terrorist actions in Afghanistan.''
Zorlu who refrained to explain the cost of the mission fulfilled by 1400 people Turkish troop in Afghanistan for six months said that it will not bring a burden to Turkish economy, on the contrary it brings great honor and he added that they gained an important experience.
Noting that the United States promised an aid worth of 228 million dollars while Turkey was taking over the command of ISAF, Zorlu said that the aid will be provided as military equipment, adding that the contacts continue about this issue.
Zorlu briefed the representatives of the United Nations (U.N.) missions about ISAF on Monday in New York and attended two conferences and a panel in Foreign Affairs Council and Columbia University. He will meet U.N. Assistant Secretary General for Peace-keeping Operations Heidi Annabi and Military Adviser Chitra Gurung on Tuesday and then he will hold a press conference for foreign reporters.
The command of ISAF will be handed over to Germany and the Netherlands on December 20.