White House website confirms New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan

2.00 pm

A White House website says New Zealand SAS forces are operating in Afghanistan and have been working with soldiers from other countries.

The website lists military contributions by all countries involved in the Afghanistan war, the Evening Post reports.

The information was posted on the website as part of US commemorations of this week's six-month anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has consistently refused to confirm that the SAS are in Afghanistan, saying only that the offer was made and people should assume it would be accepted.

She repeated that today, and said she did not believe the White House had been indiscreet as both the offer and the US response that it was welcome were public knowledge.

The White House document lists New Zealand's contribution to the war and reconstruction in Afghanistan as including: posting officials at US Central Command in Florida; providing C130 Hercules aircraft to carry equipment and supplies for the war; providing a seven-person air loading team to help the British-led international peacekeeping effort; providing eight officers soon being posted to the peacekeeping headquarters; and providing special operations forces.

"As part of a combined operation, New Zealand's special operations forces units recovered valuable equipment and forwarded it for exploitation," the website says.

New Zealand's secrecy contrasts with increasing openness in Australia about the role of their SAS, who are taking part in Operation Anaconda aimed at forcing about 1000 al Qaeda fighters out of mountain strongholds.

- NZPA

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