Babacan visits Turkish Battalion in Kabul

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan over the weekend visited a Turkish battalion and a children's home in Kabul as part of an official trip to Afghanistan. Babacan had lunch with Turkish troops in the battalion and also visited the city of Vardak, where he learned about the work of a Turkish development and construction team there from civilian coordinator Cuneyt Yavuzcan. The team works under the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA). "All assistance teams, including the United Nations, have left Vardak," Yavuzcan told Babacan. "Only the Turks remain. We will continue our work in the city, which is one of Afghanistan's poorest." He also said that 267 Afghans had been trained by Turkish police officers at a training center. Protected by Turkish security forces, Vardak carries great importance for Kabul's security.