DUSHANBE, June 14, Asia-Plus -- France has deployed three other jets to Tajikistan.

According to information from the French Embassy in Dushanbe, three “Mirage F-1” reconnaissance aircraft arrived in Tajikistan on June 1 in support of operations by the antiterrorist coalition in Afghanistan.  

Before that three “Mirage-2000” jetfighters and two military transport planes were deployed at the Dushanbe airport.  The Mirage-2000 jetfighters arrived in Tajikistan in May this year to replace six that were withdrawn in November 2005. 

The source in the Tajik Ministry of Defense has confirmed the information and noted that the aircraft had arrived in Tajikistan under agreement with the country’s government. 

In May, French military personnel in Tajikistan more than doubled to 400.  Additional military personnel will arrive in Dushanbe before October this year.   

The French military contingent has been stationed in Tajikistan since December 2001 to in support of antiterrorist operations in Afghanistan.