- BRUSSELS: Belgium extended its military mission in Afghanistan until the end of 2011 Friday, one year longer than foreseen.
The center-left government agreed to keep its 600 soldiers - who train Afghan security forces and provide security at the Kabul, Kunduz and Kandahar airports - in the country at the request of the United States.
It said it will focus increasingly on training Afghan security forces and plans to open an embassy in Kabul soon.
Opposition socialists and Greens denounced the decision as a costly “sell-out to NATO.”