Tonga's third contingent to Afghanistan leaves October 1 [1]
Thursday, September 29, 2011 - 18:38. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
TONGA'S third contingent to Afghanistan will depart Fua'amotu International Airport for the United Kingdom on Saturday, October 1.
Lt. Cmdr Solomone Savelio said on September 29, the contingent consists of 55 soldiers led by Lt. Col Tongapo'uli Aleamotu'a and assisted by Lt. Cmdr Brisbane Lokotui and Lt. Kiu Kaho.
He said the contingent would fly to the UK via Auckland and Los Angeles on Air New Zealand. While in Auckland the soldiers would meet the Tongan Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano during a 15-hour stop over.
The soldiers would initially take part in eight weeks pre-deployment training in the UK before their deployment to Afghanistan in November.
Six months
The 55 Tongan soldiers would be deployed for six months to Afghanistan and work at Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan. Under this NATO-led mission Tongan troops carry out Base Security at the British Camp Bastion.
It is understood that Tonga would be sending a fourth contingent to Afghanistan around April 2012.
Tonga's first contingent of 55 soldiers departed Tonga on October 25, 2010.
Tonga's second contingent is expected to return to Tonga in December.