Croatian President Visits Afghanistan, Vows Support

Grabar Kitarovic began her visit on Sunday to Afghanistan's capital Kabul, where she met Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.

"I am proud that Croatia, over these 12 years, has participated in the first combat mission of NATO, ISAF [International Security Assistance Force], and is now participating in Operation Determined Support," she said.

There are currently 94 Croatian soldiers in Afghanistan as a part of Determined Support, which is aimed at training and equipping the Afghan army.

"Croatia will be the voice of Afghanistan in the European Union," Grabar Kitarovic also promised, adding that Zagreb will support Kabul through a project aimed at helping children and the public health system.

"I want all Afghan children to have the same living conditions as my children do," she said.

Ashraf Ghani said that "only a country like Croatia, which passed through the sufferings of war, can in the best sense understand all the difficulties which Afghanistan has been going through for decades".

Later on Sunday, Grabar Kitarovic met with Afghan Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah, again stressing the importance of education for the future of Afghanistan.

During her stay, she will visit the Croatian soldiers deployed in the country.

Her visit was not announced to media in advance due to the poor security situation in the troubled country. Grabar Kitarovic and her delegation are wearing helmets and bulletproof vests and are constantly shadowed by security guards.

The war against the Taliban cost the Afghan army the lives of 4,000 soldiers last year. International forces are planning to cut the number of soldiers to a minimum in the next two years.