Norway's troops cleared to go to south Afghanistan

OSLO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Norway's defence ministry said on Wednesday it would allow some of its soldiers stationed in Afghanistan to go to the south of the country where battles against the Taliban and al Qaeda have been the toughest.

Norway has about 500 troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission there and has for months resisted pressure from its allies to send its soldiers to the volatile south.

But a group of 50 soldiers, to be sent to the war-torn state in October to help train the Afghan army, will be able to accompany Afghan troops into southern Afghanistan.

"This means that they can be sent throughout all of Afghanistan," ministry spokeswoman Solveig Dagfinrud said, when asked if troops would go into south Afghanistan.

"The government believes it is important to give ownership to the Afghan people, and the training of the Afghan army is one of such measures," Dagfinrud said.

Norwegian soldiers have so far been based in the north of the country, where the situation is less volatile.

Norway also contributed about 500 million crowns ($95.84 million) in development aid in 2007, and said it would raise civilian aid to 750 million crowns this year. (Reporting by Aasa Christine Stoltz; Editing by Charles Dick)