Italy plans to deploy 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan

The Italian government plans to participate in the international troop buildup in Afghanistan by sending 1,000 more troops there next year.

The Italian Defense Ministry confirmed the troops would be deployed in the second half of 2010, a complement to the nearly 2,800 Italians already in the western part of the country.

Italy is one of 43 countries serving under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

Based in Herat, the Italian military is the lead nation in ISAF's Regional Command West. 22 Italian service members have been killed in the Afghan conflict.

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