On Friday, December 7 at dawn eight, light armored personnel carrier (APC) BTRs were airlifted to Hungary – Col. József Nyers, the commander of the National Support Element in Mazar-e Sharif informed the special correspondent of Hungarian News Agency MTI.

At the NATO base, Col. József Nyers said that the combat vehicles had been airlifted to Hungary by a Russian-made An-124 Ruslan giant transport aircraft. He added that these vehicles were the first items of equipment to have been moved home because of the withdrawal of the Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT). The commander also told MTI that these eight-wheeled armed combat vehicles – which were designed in the Soviet Union – weigh 14 tons and can carry nine troops each.

The Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT) has started its withdrawal from Afghanistan; the development projects will be terminated and certain pieces of military equipment will be moved back home – Col. Antal Sipos, the commander of the last PRT told the special correspondent of MTI at the base of the HUN PRT in Pol-e Khomri on Wednesday, December 5. According to the colonel, preparations are already under way for the withdrawal that is expected to take place next spring. The PRT will transport home those items of equipment whose movement does not place heavy financial burdens on the Hungarian Defence Forces, and the weapons and combat vehicles must be transported back to Hungary because their transfer to another party is forbidden by international law.

(MTI/MoD Press Office)