Norway is taking over the responsibility of running Kabul International Airport for the next six months, and is also making available a battalion for the NATO Response Force (NRF), said reports reaching Stockholm from Oslo on Wednesday.

 

This was announced by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg prior to the NATO summit in Latvia's capital Riga on Tuesday, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported.

 

Norway will take over the operation of both the military and the civilian sections of the Kabul Airport in April next year, including a group of 35 administrative experts.

 

Norway has also decided to make available most of the Telemark Battalion, around 400 men, to the NATO Response Force, the Norwegian Prime Minister said.

 

This contingent of special forces will also include a transport company and six F-16 jet fighters with support personnel, according to NRK.

 

Norway has at present around 500 troops in Afghanistan.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)