Prague, April 24 (CTK) - The Czech Senate Thursday approved the government’s plan to send another one hundred soldiers to Afghanistan where they might take part in the Enduring Freedom operation.The soldiers from the Prostejov, south Moravia, special unit are to operate in Afghanistan from May to the end of the year, fulfilling combat task under the U.S. command, Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova told the Senate.

Supporting the plan in the debate today, Senate deputy chairman Jiri Liska (Civic Democrats, ODS) praised the operation of Czech soldiers in foreign missions, which he said is often dangerous.

He recalled the late Milan Sterba, a Czech soldier who died in a suicide attack in Afghanistan a few weeks ago.

However, the fight against the evil must not be stopped, Liska said.

The mission will cost some 213 million crowns from the Defence Ministry budget.

Transport costs will be paid by the USA at whose request the Czech government has proposed the mission.

Members of the 601st special forces unit from Prostejov had served in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2006.

Parkanova (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said earlier the soldiers would serve within the Enduring Freedom operation in very dangerous areas of the country and would not be part of NATO units.

Separately from the newly planned mission, a Czech contingent works in the Kabul hospital and about 200 Czech soldiers operate in the province of Logar as part of the Czech provincial reconstruction team (PRT).

This story is from the Czech News Agency (?TK).