The Czech Republic will boost its contingent in Afghanistan next year to about 700 soldiers from the current 535, the defence ministry told AFP on Thursday.
"We are talking about a figure close to 700 soldiers for next year, while the mandate for this year was 535," said Jan Pejsek, head of the ministry's press department.
The CTK news agency on Thursday quoted Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra as saying the figure may reach up to 730 in the end.
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But Pejsek said no exact figure had been set as the proposal was still subject to approval by the cabinet, which would receive it in early October, and by the parliament.
Vondra said earlier this month he wanted to cut Czech troop numbers in Kosovo this year to 90 from the 270 who are deployed there now, and to "adequately" boost Czech presence in Afghanistan where Czech soldiers "are undoubtedly needed and will be needed for about three more years".
Most Czech soldiers deployed in Afghanistan work in a provincial reconstruction team in the eastern Logar province.
