Armed mob broke into the courtyard of the Norwegian headquarters in Meymaneh, and nearby premises. – This is a very serious situation for our forces in Meymaneh, says Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.
The mob fired shots and threw and stones hand grenades at personnel from ISAF (International Security Assistance Force). Six Norwegian soldiers have suffered minor injuries during the attacks on their camp. Splinters of hand grenades wounded some of them.
- Our personnel in Meymaneh are armed with small arms and larger calibre weapons. They are trained to take care of themselves, says General Sverre Diesen, chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
32 Norwegian military personnel, and one police officer where present in the camp during the attack, along with 16 from Finland, three from Latvia and one from Iceland. ISAF sent two F-16 fighter aircraft, which fired warning shots above the armed mob. Two armed A10 planes from Operation Enduring Freedom were also dispatched to the area, to support the Norwegian lead Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). A British quick reaction force has arrived in the PRT camp.
- The situation is now more stable, says Diesen.
By Frank Rosvoll Norwegian Defence