Kabul airport is to be guarded by about 100 Czech soldiers from late 2006 till early 2007, Czech Deputy Chief of Staff Emil Pupis said Wednesday.

He said that NATO has asked the Czech Republic to take over therole in securing the airport's operation from October 2006 to January 2007.

A total of 300 soldiers will be deployed at the airport to which the Czech Republic would contribute experts in directing airoperation and ensuring the airport's security, Pupis said after a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies foreign committee.

The mission is yet to be approved by the government and parliament.

Defence Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek said that the Czech military would manage the new mission.

"The military is prepared to direct the airport operation even in such remote areas as Afghanistan," he said.

Source: Xinhua