Is held today the ceremony for the departure of a 30 military contingent from Albania to Afghanistan, within the NATO Assistance Mission, which will carry out the mission under Turkish command.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defense of Albania Mimi Kodheli, the Deputy Ambassador of Turkey in Tirana, Cem Baş, Albanian Army officials and family members of the contingent departing to Afghanistan.
"We are here today to accompany our friends and brothers in Afghanistan. Where they will face their mission and their difficult task of Allied forces covering, on the most challenging and important front in NATO," said Kodheli during her speech at the ceremony. She added that these military troops will continue to be deployed within the NATO mission in fulfilling the alliance's commitments to managing crises in the function of peace and stability.Kodheli stressed among other things, that "We are not content only with the solidarity of the victims and the affected by the terrorism, but we are actively contributing to the fight against this fenomenon. Fighting violent extremism is a necessity and must sacrifice. Appreciating the unsparing support that Allied countries have given and continue to provide to our deployed forces, we express deep gratitude, especially for the Turkish and Italian armed forces. "
In a speech held at this ceremony, Turkey's deputy ambassador to Tirana, Cem Baş, pointed out Turkey's importance to the NATO alliance. He stressed that Turkey is an important force in NATO, with modern armies, including qualified ground, naval and air force forces.
Baş assessed Albania's NATO membership, saying it is an important contribution to the alliance. While focusing on relations between Turkey and Albania, which he has considered excellent, he added: "We have very good military relations with Albania. Our connections are strong and friendly, whose roots are some hundred years ago."
The first group of Afghan soldiers in Afghanistan departed on 16 December 2014. Within a period of 2.5 years this is the sixth mission departing in Afghanistan./Oculus News