ZAGREB, July 27, 2019 - Croatian Army Lance Corporal Josip Briški, who was killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan earlier this week, was buried with the highest military honours at Markovo Polje cemetery in Zagreb's eastern district of Sesvete on Saturday.

The funeral was attended by his family and friends, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mirko Šundov and Army personnel, the Defence Ministry said in a press release. The funeral rite was led by Military Ordinary Jure Bogdan.

Briški, aged 27, was a member of the 10th Croatian contingent in NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. He died from serious injuries suffered in an attack by a Taliban suicide bomber on a military convoy in Kabul on Wednesday. Two other Croatian soldiers were wounded and are recovering in the US hospitals in Kabul and Bagram.

Briški is the first Croatian soldier killed in Afghanistan since Croatia deployed its troops there in 2003. About a hundred Croatians are among 20,000 foreign troops, mostly Americans, mentoring and training Afghan security forces as part of NATO's Resolute Support mission.

More news about the incident can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 26, 2019 - A commemoration was held at the Defence Ministry on Friday for Josip Briški, a Croatian sergeant killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday, with a minute's silence and speeches by President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, and Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Mirko Šundov.

The president said Briški "chose the toughest path. He dedicated his life to serving Croatia, ready to defend the homeland anywhere... Every day of his service confirmed loyalty to the homeland, his human kindness. In Afghanistan, he offered people a trace of hope in a better future. A perfidious attack stopped him."

Minister Krstičević extended condolences to Briški's family, adding that "such moments deeply affect the public too." He said Briški had walked "the path of peace and freedom" and thanked him for "living and working by the ideals for which defenders fought in the Homeland War."

General Šundov said news of Briški's death "deeply shook both the army and the entire Croatian nation," recalling that Croatia has been participating in peace missions for 16 years and that this was the first time it lost a soldier.

Briški's body arrived at Zagreb's airport aboard a NATO plane in the morning, where it was welcomed with the highest military and state honours. The plane left Bagram, Afghanistan during the night and was seen off by the commander of NATO's Resolute Support mission, General Austin Scott Miller.

Briški was a member of the 10th Croatian contingent in Resolute Support. He died on Wednesday from serious injuries sustained during a suicide attack on a Croatian army vehicle in Kabul.

More news about the incident can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 26, 2019 - A coffin with the body of Josip Briški, the Croatian soldier killed in a terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, arrived at Zagreb's airport aboard a NATO plane on Friday morning, where it was welcomed with the highest military and state honours.

The US plane left Bagram, Afghanistan during the night and was seen off by the commander of NATO's Resolute Support mission, General Austin Scott Miller, whereby the highest honour was shown Briški, the Croatian Defence Ministry said.

Present at Zagreb's Franjo Tuđman Airport were Briški's family, President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Mirko Šundov, other senior Defence Ministry and army officials, and representatives of the US, France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Albania.

Briški is expected to be buried on Saturday.

More news about the incident can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 25, 2019 - At the start of Thursday's cabinet meeting in Čakovec, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević once again expressed his condolences to the family of corporal Josip Briški, who was killed in Afghanistan, and informed that his body was expected in Zagreb on Friday morning.

He added that he was in constant contact with commanders at all levels in Afghanistan and that they were monitoring the situation of the two other Croatian soldiers who were injured in a suicide bombing in Kabul on Wednesday.

"They are no longer in a critical condition and are recovering in the US hospitals in Kabul and Bagram. We have ensured that they receive the best possible medical attention. They underwent surgery yesterday and are recovering well, and I think that in 7 to 10 days they will be able to come to Croatia," he said.

Krstičević also said that a delegation headed by General Perica Turalija had gone to Afghanistan on Thursday morning to visit the two injured soldiers and to provide support to the other members of Croatia's contingent.

Asked how the safety of soldiers in missions could be improved, Krstičević said that these were difficult missions, that there cannot be any absolute security and the situation in Afghanistan is very complicated.

"We are doing all we can for our soldiers to be, above all, excellently equipped and trained, to be prepared, and that is my responsibility as minister and the responsibility of the Defence Ministry and the Croatian Army," said Krstičević.

More news about Croatian army can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 24, 2019 - Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a Croatian Army vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, injuring two soldiers and killing a third, news agencies said.

Josip Briški (27) succumbed to injuries after a suicide bomber attack on a vehicle that was part of a convoy on its way to the airport.

Taliban militants said that their fighter died as a "martyr" after he killed and injured a "large number of CIA agents," blowing himself up in a vehicle full of explosives, AFP reported.

Reuters underscored that Briški was "the first Croatian fatality in Afghanistan since the former Yugoslav republic and NATO member deployed troops there in 2003."

The latest attack occurred as the United States and Taliban officials prepare to hold an eighth round of peace talks in Qatar this week, in a bid to end the 18-year-old Afghan war, Reuters said.

In Kabul, officials said Taliban fighters blew up a military vehicle carrying foreign forces, killing one and injuring at least three of them.

"(An) explosion hit a foreign forces convoy in Tarakhel area on Kabul-Jalalabad road," Kabul police spokesman Ferdous Faramarz said, as the interior ministry confirmed at least three foreign soldiers were injured," according to Reuters.

Benjamin Burbank, a spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Kabul, said a member of the coalition forces succumbed to wounds after one of its vehicles was hit by an explosive device.

More news about Croatian army can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 24, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday condemned an attack by a suicide bomber in Kabul in Afghanistan in which three Croatian troops were injured (one died later), saying the government would work on having them return to Croatia as soon as possible.

"On the government's behalf, I regret the attack on the vehicle with HV (Croatian Army) members who are part of the Resolute Support mission, the NATO operation aimed at training, advising and supporting Afghan security forces," Plenković said at a cabinet meeting.

One solider died from serious head injuries, one suffered a broken leg and the third a broken arm.

"We condemn the attack... Our HV officers are in contact with the families of the Croatian soldiers, who are receiving medical assistance," Plenković said, adding that "such an attack with such consequences" had never occurred during the HV's 16 years in Afghanistan, first as part of the ISAF mission and now as part of Resolute Support.

He recalled that 99 Croatian troops are currently in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a press conference earlier, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said this was an isolated attack and that the rest of the Croatian contingent were safe, adding that he had talked about the incident with the president and the prime minister, and that the most important thing was to care for the injured soldiers.

"I'm sorry this happened... As defence minister, I'm ready to take political responsibility for this event. The Defence Ministry and the government will extend all the assistance possible. We are horrified by this event, we condemn this attack... The Croatian Army will continue to strongly fight for peace and stability in the world. All our soldiers in this operation participate as mentors and advisors," Krstičević said.

Brigadier General Krešimir Tuškan said the injured soldiers were members of the UK-led Special Operation Advisory Group and that their job was to advise the management of the Afghan special police centre.

The three soldiers were driving in three vehicles from camp Hkaia to camp Lion. At 8.45 a.m. local time, 200 metres from camp Lion, a motorcycle driven by a suicide bomber, crashed into one of the Croatian vehicles which exploded and overturned, the Defence Ministry said.

Afghan forces were the first on the scene, followed by protection forces from camp Hkaia.

Afghan media said the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

More news about Croatian army can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, August 27, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Sunday held talks in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, who informed her of the current political and security situation in the country, official sources have reported.

ZAGREB, August 26, 2018 - Croatian President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović spoke during a visit to Camp Marmal in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, on Saturday about current political processes affecting the security situation and the importance of civil society for launching the necessary changes in the country.

ZAGREB, August 25, 2018 - Croatian President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović visited on Friday Croatian troops stationed in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and serving there in NATO's Resolute Support mission, telling them that by contributing to efforts to establish peace, stability and security in that country, they were also protecting Croatia's security.

ZAGREB, August 24, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is paying a visit to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and this has been her third visit to that Assian country during her presidential term, the Offfice of the Croatian head of state says in a press release issued on Friday.