25 December 2014, 10:39 GMT
TBILISI, December 25 (Sputnik) – The Georgian parliament has ratified an agreement under which one battalion and one squad from the country's military will participate in the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan in 2015, the Novosti Gruziya media outlet reported Thursday.
According to the newspaper, Georgia will bear full financial responsibility for providing the contingent with food, fuel, weapons, equipment and medical assistance.
After the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan comes to an end, the Georgian military will continue to serve in the country for another six months. The duration of the agreement can be extended if needed.
Resolute Support begins on January 1, 2015, after the ISAF mission ends on December 31. The mission's combat role will change to that of training, advising and assisting, with the number of troops reduced, according to the ISAF.
The first Georgian Armed Forces battalion was sent to Afghanistan under the auspices of the ISAF in 2009, although the country has been assisting the ISAF since 2004. A total of 1,500 Georgian servicemen have served in Afghanistan on six-month-long deployments.
