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Foreign Deployments for Approximately 550 Soldiers of the Federal Army Extended

Für rund 550 Soldaten des Bundesheers wurde der Auslandsaufenthalt verlängert.
Für rund 550 Soldaten des Bundesheers wurde der Auslandsaufenthalt verlängert. ©APA-FOTO: BARBARA GINDL
On Wednesday, the government extended all foreign deployments of the Austrian Armed Forces until the end of 2026 in the Council of Ministers. Currently, Austria is participating with about 550 soldiers in a total of twelve international missions. The largest troop contingents are stationed in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Lebanon. In the case of Lebanon, this is likely to be the last extension, as the UN peace mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends in late 2026.

Under pressure from Israel and the USA, the blue helmet mission at the border with Israel will be ended after almost five decades. The UN mission is expected to withdraw during the course of 2027. The Austrian Armed Forces, which have been involved in the mission since 2011, currently provide around 180 soldiers. Similarly sized contingents are only present in the Western Balkans: around 200 Austrians are currently stationed with the EU force in Bosnia (EUFOR), and around 140 with the NATO protection force in Kosovo (KFOR).

Austria is "a reliable partner in Europe and the world," emphasized Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) on Wednesday on the occasion of the extension of the foreign deployments in a statement. The deployment is "an expression of lived responsibility and a strong sign of our commitment to international stability."

(APA/Red.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.

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