Italy plans to send up to one thousand more soldiers to Afghanistan
The Italian parliament Thursday approved the deployment of combat soldiers who would join U-S troops in hunting down suspected al-Qaida fighters along the Pakistan border with Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says the additional forces are needed to help restore order in Afghanistan.
Italy already has about 400 soldiers as part of the international peacekeeping force in Kabul. The new Italian troops are expected to arrive in Afghanistan in March.