[Al Arabiya Latest] The tiny Pacific archipelago Kingdom of Tonga plans to send 275 soldiers to Afghanistan to help guard a British garrison as part of its plan to reduce unemployment.An initial contingent of 55 marines will be deployed in November, the first of four six-month rotations of 55 troops who will help guard Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele said Wednesday. Britain will command the troops and pay for the deployment, Sevele said.
He said the deployment would help to ease unemployment in his nation of 104,000 people, and foster closer ties between Tonga and Britain.
Tonga's Parliament approved the deployment 22-0 on Wednesday.