New Zealand SAS troops in Tonga will be brought home as soon as possible, the Government has announced.
A group of 20 New Zealand SAS troops are in Tonga, where the Prime Minister has suddenly been dismissed by the King.
Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee told the Herald yesterday the troops were there for a routine exercise, and today confirmed they would be pulled out of the country as soon as possible.
"Rather than continuing on to do their scheduled training exercise we've concluded this is a time for Tonga to have some clear air, uncomplicated by the coincidental presence of NZDF personnel in the country.
"Tonga is clearly in a process of political transition and it's best we leave them to manage that without the added complication of a military training exercise going on."