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Opposition slams plan to send Polish troops to fight Islamic State

PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk 17.06.2016 08:20
Poland's opposition Civic Platform (PO) party on Friday came out against government plans to send troops to the war against the so-called Islamic State.
A Polish F16. Photo: wp.mil.plA Polish F16. Photo: wp.mil.pl

PO deputy chief Tomasz Siemoniak, a former defence minister, called on the government to brief MPs on the issue in parliament. He added that "nothing should be left unsaid" if Polish troops are to put their lives in harm’s way.

“On such serious matters as sending Polish troops into a theatre of war operations, full and reliable information should be provided to parliamentarians and above all the public,” Siemoniak said.

Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said earlier this week in Brussels that Poland would send four F-16 fighter jets as a contribution to the international coalition that is fighting against Islamist militants.

The head of Poland’s National Security Bureau, Paweł Soloch, told the PAP news agency on Wednesday that Warsaw aimed to deploy the F-16s, together with up to 150 pilots and military personnel, to Kuwait, and up to 60 special forces soldiers to Iraq.

He added that the Polish troops would take part in reconnaissance and training missions rather than in combat operations.

The comments by Macierewicz and Soloch came in the run-up to a July NATO summit in Warsaw. Poland is expecting the Western military alliance to confirm at the summit that it will beef up its eastern flank. (pk)

Source: PAP

tags: military
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