VILNIUS, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's special operation forces might be sent to serve at the US-led international mission in Iraq as of next year, President Dalia Grybauskaite-led State Defence Council said on Monday.
In Monday's meeting, the Council decided that Lithuania should expand the country's participation in anti-terrorist and security enhancing operations lead by NATO, the United Nations, the United States and the EU in the period 2018-2019, the presidency said in a statement.
The U.S.-led multination mission in Iraq Inherent Resolve is one of the operations where Lithuania plans to increase its participation, Zivile Satuniene, presidential adviser, was quoted as saying by local media.
A team of Lithuanian military instructors have been already deployed to Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, according to the resolution of parliament of June 2016.
"According to currently effectual resolution, up to 30 military instructors might take part in the Iraq's mission; in the new draft resolution it will be proposed not to specify the number of troops to be deployed," Satuniene explained.
In her words, after the new resolution is adopted, troops which can execute tasks outside the training bases could be sent to the mission.
Raimundas Karoblis, Lithuania's minister of national defence, confirmed that the U.S. side asked for the possibility to deploy in Iraq Lithuania's special operation forces. It will be decided later this year or next year whether these troops will be sent to the mission, according to the need, Karoblis noted.
"What troops will be deployed to Operation Inherent Resolve, will be decided together with allies; it could also be special operation forces, if such decision is taken," Karoblis told reporters.
According to the statement from the presidency, Lithuania's involvement in international anti-terrorist operations and other missions should grow by 30 percent in the upcoming two years. Currently, around 90 Lithuanian soldiers are serving in various operations abroad, the statement read.
President Grybauskaite is soon going to submit an updated draft mandate regarding Lithuanias participation in international operations for 2018-2019 to parliament.
