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425 Slovenian Armed Forces members in international operations and missions
The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) participates in eight international operations and missions abroad with 425 members. The largest Slovenian contingent operates in KFOR, Kosovo and includes 297 members. ISAF contingent in Afghanistan includes 88 servicemembers. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18 servicemembers operate within international EUFOR operation and at NATO HQ Sarajevo. The UNIFIL mission in Lebanon includes 14 SAF members, while four SAF members wear blue helmets in two UN military observation missions in Syria. The Slovenian Armed Forces also have a representative in EU NAVFOR’s Headquarters in Northwood, Great Britain, two representatives at NATO Military Liaison Office Belgrade, Serbia and one representative at NATO HQ Skopje, Macedonia.
The Slovenian Armed Forces have participated in international operations and missions since 1997. So far, 7573 SAF members have been deployed to 19 international operations and missions, some of them several times.
Since March 2004, when Slovenian troops were first deployed to Afghanistan, some 1000 Slovenian military have operated there. Currently, the 17th Slovenian Contingent is deployed. It will be replaced by 80 members of the 18th Slovenian Contingent in October 2012. The contingent’s operation will focus of the Farah province, where the contingent will be tasked with advising and mentorship of the new infantry battalion of the Afghan National Army (ANA).
In Afghanistan, Slovenian servicemembers mainly advise member of the Afghan National Army and mentor Afghan troops. Advising takes place at several levels, namely providing advice to senior ANA Commands, providing advice and instructions in military training institutions, as well as advising at corps level and in the infantry kandak/battalion of the Afghan National Army.
In NATO-led operation KFOR in Kosovo, where the Slovenian Armed Forces have been engaged since January 2000, 4500 Slovenian military have participated so far. Currently, the 25th Slovenian Contingent is deployed. The contingent’s main body is stationed in the Italian military base Villaggio Italia near Peć and includes a manoeuvre company of the 18th Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Battalion and a manoeuvre company of the 74th Motorised Battalion. The contingent also includes a Logistic Platoon, five Liaison Monitoring Teams, a Helicopter Squad and a National Support Element. Several contingent members also perform tasks in KFOR Command in Priština and in Regional Command West in Peć. In September, the 26th Slovenian Contingent with 300 members will be deployed. In the same month, a Slovenian officer will assume the post of KFOR Deputy Commander.
The size of SAF's contribution and tasks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Macedonia will not change this year.
