NEW YORK (voa) – The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution to authorize an international peacekeeping force for Afghanistan. The resolution gives the multinational force a six-month mandate and the right to use force.
British Royal Marines that are part of the force have arrived in Afghanistan. Royal Marine Company commander Matt Jones says 53 marines will begin providing security and assistance ahead of the inauguration of a new interim Afghan government Saturday.
Britain is to lead the peacekeeping force of about 3,000 troops contributed by a number of countries. Meanwhile, U.S. forces supported by helicopters and high flying reconnaissance planes are continuing to search the cave and tunnel complex in Afghanistan’s Tora Bora region, near the border with Pakistan, for surviving al-Qaida members.
Earlier Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said 15 of 20 al-Qaida prisoners who escaped Wednesday have been recaptured. The prisoners were among 156 al-Qaida fighters who fled the Tora Bora region and crossed into Pakistan where they were captured by the Pakistani army. But 20 of them escaped by staging a revolt as they were being transported to a detention center. Six Pakistani soldiers and seven prisoners were killed in the ensuing gunbattle.
A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry says Pakistan will investigate the nature of the prisoners’ involvement in the activities of the al-Qaida terrorist network and will act on the merits of each case.
