Bells to toll on Thursday for soldiers killed in action

Cabinet members on Wednesday held a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the four Czech soldiers killed in Afghanistan and the government ordered sirens to go off and bells to toll around the country in their memory at midday on Thursday. They will also be awarded medals for bravery in memoriam by the president. The country will not be holding a day of mourning as such. A government plane is to leave for Afghanistan later today to repatriate the soldiers’ remains. Details about funeral arrangements have not yet been made public.