New NATO member state Estonia is set to increase its NATO-led mission to Afghanistan by a dozen  troops this year and a further 75 troops next year, the Estonian defence forces said. Estonia is likely to increase its participation in the NATO mission by up to 15 soldiers this year, although the final decision is yet to be taken," Vice-Admiral Tarmo Kõuts, commander-in-chief of the Estonian defence forces, told journalists, adding that the troops would join the UK-led provincial reconstruction teams this summer. Next year, he said, Estonia would send an additional mobile unit of up to 75 troops. Estonia  currently has 18 soldiers serving in the 8,300-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Visiting NATO General Gerhard W. Back, commander-in-chief of NATO forces based in Brunssum, Netherlands, said NATO highly appreciated Estonias contribution. (Afp, 2.03)