Romanian President Traian Basescu, Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea and U.S. Ambassador to Romania Mark Gitenstein arrived in Afghanistan Tuesday to meet the Romanian troops deployed in the area.  Basescu last visited the Romanian troops stationed in Afghanistan in March 2010. Back then, he told the troops their mission is to protect the civilized world from terrorism, adding he hopes their military mission in the area will end successfully during his second term as president of Romania.

Romania has 1,663 troops deployed in Afghanistan, of which 1,655 under NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).  Over the past years, 17 Romanian troops have been killed and 55 others have been injured in Afghanistan.

Mediafax