The Czech government agreed Wednesday to donate twelve Russian-made helicopters to Afghanistan, an official said. The donation to the Afghan military includes six transport Mi-17 helicopters and six Mi-24 fighter helicopters, The Associated Press quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek as saying. First helicopter should arrive in Afghanistan in autumn, he said. The move was proposed by the Czech military, acting on a request from the Afghan government for NATO countries to help equip its army. The Czech Republic currently has a 70-member military field hospital at the international airport in Kabul as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, and another 80 troops in the northeast of the country. The number of Czech troops in Afghanistan is scheduled to increase to about 225 later this year.
