Defense Minister Juozas Olekas said at the ceremony that the mission will be special, as the troops will contribute to the joint preparation efforts for the withdrawal of Lithuanian soldiers from the Ghor province.
"The country is undergoing a number of changes, it is changing, rebuilding, people are starting to smile more often. However, there is resistance and struggles against the changes. Therefore, our participation there is still very important," the minister said in a press release.
The main group of the National Support Element is deployed at the Kabul International Airport, while others serve at the Kandahar Airport, and the support group will serve in the camp of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghor's capital Chagcharan.
The National Support Element was founded in the Lithuanian Armed Forces in 2009 in an effort to ensure more efficient support of Lithuania's military units.
About 260 Lithuanian troops currently serve in Afghanistan.
Lithuania plans to finish heading the Ghor PRT and withdraw troops from the province by the end of 2013, while a squadron of the Special Operations Unit and the Air Force training group will continue serving in Afghanistan next year. Other soldiers staying in Afghanistan will also include the National Support Element, a reduced number of officers in NATO operational headquarters and the security team of the commander of the special mission.
