Czech troops targeted in Afghanistan

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, March 17 (UPI) -- Afghan insurgents last week targeted a NATO base housing 40 Czech troops with a missile attack.

Ceske Noviny news agency reported Wednesday that two missiles were ready to be fired at the NATO base in the remote northeastern town of Faizabad, capital of Badakhshan province.

The Czech Foreign Ministry server, www.natoaktual.cz, said that Czech troop commander Radek Cerny stated that Afghan security forces received advance information of the planned attack and a joint operation by foreign troops and local police thwarted the operation.

Security problems in Afghanistan increased after cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammad were re-published in a Danish newspaper in January.

The Czech Republic currently has 48 soldiers deployed in Faizabad, which is in a province that borders Tajikistan, China and Pakistan.

Security problems in the region are heightened by the fact that it is a major drug smuggling route.

In the wake of the aborted attack, the commander of the German-Danish-Czech Faizabad base restricted troops movements for several days.

Following the recent melting of snow, Czech troops have begun regular patrols in the more remote parts of the mountainous province.