US Afghan supplies cross Russia

Page last updated at 16:47 GMT, Tuesday, 3 March 2009

A first shipment of non-military supplies has crossed Russia on its way to US forces in Afghanistan, Russia's Interfax news agency has said.

A train carrying goods left the Latvian port of Riga last week and reached Kazakhstan by way of Russia, after Moscow agreed to allow such journeys.

In coming months, hundreds of supply trains will reach Afghanistan via Russia and central Asian countries.

Taleban attacks on routes in Pakistan prompted the hunt for alternatives.

The US embassy in Latvia said Washington was aiming to send 20 to 30 shipments of supplies each week to Afghanistan via Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

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