Aвстрaлийский минобороны тaки признaл, что aвстрaлийцы могут быть срeди спeцнaзa вокруг и около Aфгaнистaнa. Причeм - "они вxодят в комaндную структуру этиx подрaздeлeний", xотя только 2 дня кaк прeмьeр божился, что aвстрaлийскиe солдaты, eсли будут учaствовaть в совмeстной опeрaции, то нe под нaчaлом СШA.
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Australians may be behind lines
By DARREN GRAY
CANBERRA
Monday 1 October 2001
Australian troops from the secretive Special Air Service could already be operating inside Afghanistan.
Defence Minister Peter Reith yesterday declined to say whether Australian operatives were in the war-torn nation, but said troops on exchange with British and US units had been authorised to take part in the war on terrorism.
It is believed that US special forces and British SAS regiments have been in Afghanistan for at least 11 days.
Up to 295 Australian Defence Force personnel are on exchange in the US. They include ground troops and RAAF pilots, who have already flown missions across the US after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Mr Reith recently told parliament that 122 Australians had already been deployed with US forces. Yesterday he would not reveal their locations or activities.
"They are basically within the command structure of those (US) units and, as I've said in the past as to information about that, we will provide information where we've got it and some of that information is a bit sketchy for security reasons," he told Channel Nine's Sunday program.
But Mr Reith indicated that Australia was willing to make a strong military commitment to the international coalition fighting terrorism.
"As to the details of that, well the military people need to be talking," he said.
