Ten new American Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are to be delivered to the HDF shortly. The new MRAPs to be used in Afghanistan are effective against roadside bomb attacks, Minister of Defence said.

Dr Csaba Hende travelled to Afghanistan to visit the Hungarian Contingent and pass Christmas greetings on to the troops on mission on 14 December. Defence Minister had talks with David Patrenaus, the current Commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A).He announced that HDF would be given ten new MRAP vehicles in a few days’ time and forty-six more armoured vehicles, including MRAP-s and HMMWV-s soon. The Hungarian mission has recently received five hundred Kevlar helmets purchased from the German Armed Forces, he said. Dr Csaba Hende added: the Hungarian soldiers have been attacked or have come under fire several times recently. Minister of Defence visited Kabul International airport controlled by the Hungarian troops, the International Base in Mazar-e Sharif and met the Hungarian soldiers in Baghlan Province. The delegation was accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis.

Text: Dóra Darnyik