OTTAWA, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Senior Canadian officials will soon fly to Paris to negotiate the transfer of 700 French troops to southern Afghanistan, where Canada's military mission is based, CTV television said on Thursday. Canada says it will pull its 2,500 soldiers from the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on schedule next February unless NATO provides an extra 1,000 troops. CTV said Canada would talk to France about providing a 700-soldier battle group. It gave no further details. The office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not immediately return a call seeking comment. (Reporting by David Ljunggren: Editing by Rob Wilson)
Afghan police and security forces arrive at a mosque after a suicide blast in Lashkar Gah city in the southern Helmand province January 31, 2008. A suicide bomber blew himself up ...
