New Zealand 's heaviest military involvement in the Middle East in recent decades has been in Afghanistan following the United States-led invasion of that country after the September 11 attacks . A Squadron of New Zealand Special Air Service ( NZSAS ) personnel were dispatched , and in March 2002 they took part in Operation Anaconda against about 500 to 1000 Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shah-i-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zorma , Afghanistan . New Zealand has also supplied two transport aircraft and a 122-strong tri-service Provincial Reconstruction Team , which has been located in Bamyan Province since 2003
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
New Zealand–United States relations