OTAN – NATO
ISAF
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE AFGHANISTAN
*
AFGHAN, INTERNATIONAL FORCE CLEARS HAQQANI STRONGHOLD
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/afghan-international-force-clears-haqqani-stronghold.html
6/14/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-06-CA-045
For Immediate Release
KABUL, Afghanistan (June 14) - ISAF has confirmed a Haqqani network commander, Fazil Subhan, known to facilitate foreign fighters, was killed along with multiple insurgents by Afghan and international forces in a two-day offensive in Khost Province last week.
The Haqqani fighters were in fortified fighting positions in an area known for ambush attacks against international troops, southwest of Kowte Kheyl in the Shamul district.
The Afghan-international force also discovered and destroyed a building used to store ammunition, heavy weapons and explosive materials. Despite enemy fire, no coalition forces were killed or injured during the operation.
Haqqani network commanders continually seek to establish strongholds in Khost province to disrupt local governance and facilitate the movement of fighters, explosives and weapons into the country.
They have ties to al Qaeda and the Taliban, and claimed responsibility, along with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants, for a deadly suicide attack against intelligence officers in Khost last December.
Afghan and international forces are currently working to eliminate insurgent threats and enable expanded governance and development in the area.
Editor's Note: This operation was initially announced June 11 in IJC News Release #032: IJC Operational Update
*
JUNE 14: AFGHAN-ISAF OPERATIONS IN EASTERN, NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/june-14-afghan-isaf-operations-in-eastern-northern-afghanistan.html
6/13/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-06-CA-043
For Immediate Release
KABUL, Afghanistan (June 14) - A joint Afghan-international force detained several suspected insurgents in Kunduz province last night while searching for a facilitator responsible for planning and coordinating attacks against Afghan and international forces. After intelligence information confirmed insurgent activity, the security force searched a compound near Kunduz City and detained six males for further questioning.
One individual was killed after he reached for his weapon and displayed hostile intent.
In the Charkh and Baraki Barak districts of Logar Province last night, a joint Afghan-international force detained a Taliban facilitator responsible for improvised explosive device emplacement and attacks against international forces.
After intelligence information verified insurgent activity, the security force searched a compound northeast of the village of Naebkhel in Baraki Barak district and detained two insurgents, one of whom was the focus of the search by the joint force.
No damage was done to the compounds during these operations; women and children present during the searches were unharmed.
*
JUNE 13: AFGHAN-ISAF OPERATIONS IN EASTERN, SOUTHERN, NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/june-13-afghan-isaf-operations-in-eastern-southern-northern-afghanistan.html
6/12/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-06-CA-039
For Immediate Release
KABUL, Afghanistan (June 13) - An Afghan and international security force detained several suspected insurgents in Zabul Province last night.
The security force detained the men for further questioning while searching a compound near the village of Daftani in the Shah Joy district. The team was pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for coordinating and assisting in direct fire attacks and complex ambushes against coalition forces.
An Afghan-international patrol discovered illegal drugs, weapons and ammunition, and detained several suspected insurgents in Kunduz Province Friday.
The patrol discovered 128 kilograms of opium, 2,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, and several assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades in a compound near the village of Emam Shahib, north of Kunduz city.
Village elders convinced the individuals to surrender peacefully, and the opium and ammunition were destroyed on site.
Afghan National Security Forces with ISAF partners conducted an operation in the village of Chardah, Helmand Province, Friday to disrupt a Taliban network responsible for planning and conducting attacks against Afghan and ISAF forces, and for supplying materials used in constructing roadside bombs.
After surrounding the compound where the Taliban insurgents were suspected to be, Afghan Special Police ensured all residents of the compound exited safely. Multiple women and children were protected while several suspected insurgents were detained.
No shots were fired and no civilians were harmed during these operations.
*
JUNE 12: AFGHAN-ISAF OPERATIONS IN EASTERN, SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/june-12-afghan-isaf-operations-in-eastern-southern-afghanistan.html
6/11/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-06-CA-035
For Immediate Release
KABUL, Afghanistan (June 12) - An Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban sub-commander and another individual suspected of insurgent activity in Ghazni Province last night.
The sub-commander is responsible for planning and conducting operations against coalition forces, including improvised explosive device (IED) emplacement and intelligence gathering.
The security force captured the individuals while searching a compound outside the village of Nowabad Khanehdorha, Muqer district, after intelligence information confirmed insurgent activity.
A separate Afghan-international security force detained a number of suspected insurgents while pursuing a Haqqani network IED facilitator in Khost Province last night.
The combined force detained the suspected insurgents in a compound in a rural area of Sabari district after intelligence verified militant activity.
There were no shots fired and no one was harmed during the above operations.
An Afghan-international force conducted a number of operations against the Taliban in southern Helmand Province over the past week. The operations took place in multiple locations in and around Baram Chah, Reg-e Khan Neshin district, and were designed to disrupt and restrict the movement of Taliban fighters and the supply of weapons into central Helmand Province.
Taliban fighters engaged the Afghan-led combined force on numerous occasions, and several of the insurgents who engaged the combined force were killed. The team seized four assault rifles and a sniper rifle with ammunition, and a mortar and rocket during the operations.
No civilians were injured in the operations.
*
ISAF,SCR PROVIDE THIS WEEK’S OPERATIONAL UPDATE ON AFGHANISTAN
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/isaf-scr-provide-this-week-s-operational-update-on-afghanistan.html
6/12/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
KABUL, Afghanistan - German Army Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz, spokesman, International Seccurity Assistance Force, provides an update on recent partnering operations during a press conference June 12. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball) Click to download.
ISAF Public Affairs Office
Air Force Staff Sgt.
LuCelia Ball
KABUL, Afghanistan – Tony White, spokesman, NATO Senior Civilian Representative, and German Army Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz, spokesman, International Security Assistance Force, provided an update June 12 on recent partnering operations in Central Helmand River Valley and Kandahar.
Blotz concentrated on operations in Kandahar.
“In terms of the insurgency, the rural area of Zhari is at the moment contested space,” he said. “In much the same way as Marja was, you’ll find in Zhari, insurgents have freedom of movement and the ability to control, suppress and oppress the population. The same applies to the southwestern part of Panjawa’i.”
“It is estimated that there are between 500 and 1,000 insurgents who regularly operate in the Arghandab and in the areas of Zhari and Panjwa’I,” Blotz added. “The cities have a thriving commercial environment, with bazaars and businesses, but little investment, electricity, sanitation or health care.”
“It’s pretty challenging in terms of productivity and in terms of quality of life,” said Blotz. “But for the average Afghan who lives in the city, what bothers him most is the level of criminality. And it’s a problem more of criminality and disorder than it is a problem of Taliban and insurgency.”
Blotz also spoke of the need to improve the governance to help bring order and administration to the city.
“We will do this using the resources that begin to come online with the second force package of U.S. Army reinforcements that arrive in and around Kandahar, because that provides us with the capacity to train additional policemen and to partner with them,” he said.
After Blotz spoke, White commented on the non-military aspects of the joint effort in Kandahar.
“This effort is more about the people of Kandahar province than it is about the insurgents,” he said.
The effort started several weeks ago, with the political phase, together with a gradually increasing security presence, which will continue to the point where the Government can start delivering basic services and better governance and eventually development.
“There is no planned military offensive and to report only on the anticipation of major fighting is missing the bigger picture and alarming an already fearful public,” said White.
The main effort in the Province of Kandahar continues to be the longer-term governance and development strategy to enhance the public’s confidence in its Government, White added.
“The Government, led by President Karzai, is determined to strengthen governance and ultimately deliver civil assistance and sustainable development to the people of Kandahar and the rest of the country,” said White. “NATO is supporting this transition to Afghan responsibility. The Government is already focusing development and reconstruction resources at the district level to establish or enhance district centers, where the community can engage the government and the government can better serve the community.”
White also talked about plans after the security situation improves.
“Plans are in place to enhance the presence of Kandahar government’s key line ministries including agriculture, education, health and justice with the resources necessary to operate at the district level,” he said. “This effort will repair roads, open schools, and improve healthcare services and more.”
White concluded by saying, “Progress in Afghanistan will not be measured by the level of the insurgency or their ability to intimidate progress, which is their goal. It will be measured by the Afghan people and the way they view their Government and how it deals with poverty, justice and security, but more importantly, their ability to understand how they want to live.”
Blotz provided a general update on operations in Central Helmand.
Operation Moshtarak, where approximately 600,000 people live in central Helmand including the districts of Nahr e Saraj, Nad e Ali, the municipality of Lashkar Gar, and the districts of Marja and Nawa, is now about three months into the operation.
“Operations focused principally on the district of Nad e Ali, where around 100,000 people live,” said Blotz. “In Marja, we have conducted a relief in place with the original Afghan National Army troops that did the operation, and replaced them with new Afghan National Army Kandaks in full partnerships with the U.S. Marine Corps.”
Afghan National Civil Order Police are stationed in Marja to provide protection for the population.
“What is also striking is that we now have freedom of movement throughout central Helmand,” Blotz said. “Before the 12th of February, it wasn’t possible for (Provincial Governor) Mangal to travel from Lashkar Gar to Nad e Ali or to Marja or to Nawa. He can now do that on his own, with his own security detail. So we’re making progress. We’re going in the right direction.”
Blotz added some comments on events that took place earlier in the week: an attack on a wedding party in Arghandab and a roadside mine blast in Kandahar that killed eight civilians and wounded eight others.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of those who were lost in this horrible attack against a wedding party in Arghandab,” said Blotz. “The recent casualties are a result of confrontations as Afghanistan and ISAF forces clear the Taliban from areas that were previously under their control. Over time, Afghanistan and ISAF forces will establish the security Afghanistan wants, and there will be a reduction in the frequency of violent incidents as the Taliban are defeated or forced to retreat. These cowardly attacks against innocent civilians reflect the Taliban’s lack of vision for a peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan. All this will not deter the overall campaign or process to secure the Afghan people – we will continue with our mission.”
Transcript: Second Operational Update, Opening Statement for ISAF News Conference
*
TRANSCRIPT: SECOND OPERATIONAL UPDATE, OPENING STATEMENT FOR ISAF NEWS CONFERENCE
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/transcripts/transcript-second-operational-update-opening-statement-for-isaf-news-conference.html
GERMAN ARMY BRIG. GEN. JOSEF BLOTZ, ISAF SPOKESMAN
Today’s update will cover the following key topics:
• ISAF operational overview w/ special emphasis on • Central Helmand River Valley (CHRV) and Kandahar
• political issues addressed by Mr. Tony White, SCR’s spokesman
Afterwards we will have ample time for Qs&As.
Before starting with the update on security and operations a couple of general remarks concerning last week’s events:
• First of: Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of those who were lost in this horrible attack against a wedding party in Arghandab.
• The recent casualties are a result of confrontations as AFG and ISAF forces clear the TB from areas that were previously under their control.
• Over time AFG and ISAF forces will establish the security Afghanistan wants, and there will be a reduction in the frequency of violent incidents as the TB are defeated or forced to retreat.
• The TB’s attack on the wedding party in Arghandab reflects their growing desperation as they feel the pressure as AFG and ISAF forces move in to establish security. These cowardly attacks against innocent civilians reflect the TB’s lack of vision for a peaceful prosperous Afghanistan.
• Yesterday morning a roadside mine blast in southern Afghanistan (Kandahar) killed 9 civilians (4 women, 3 children and 2 men were among those who died.
• 8 other people were wounded and taken to a hospital run by our troops.
• All this will not deter the overall campaign or process to secure the AFG people – We will continue with our mission and we - ISAF - join our AFG brothers in steeling our resolve to continue to press the INS out of areas where they can affect the AFG people.
Now I would like to start with a general update on operations:
• Operation Moshtarak in CHRV is now at about D-plus-119, so some three months into the operation.
• Operations focused principally on the district of Nad e Ali, where around 100,000 people live; on the district of Marja; and the area of Kariz e Saydi and Badula Qulp, just to the northeast of Marja where around 80,000 people live.
• In Marja, we have conducted a relief of place with the original Afghan National Army troops that did the operation, and replaced them with new Afghan National Army Kandaks in full partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps who are based there according to our original plan.
• We still have Afghan National Civil Order Police stationed in Marja providing protection for the population, which again is what we'd planned to have up until about D-plus-150.
• Most of the security infrastructure is constructed so that throughout Marja you would find a series of police checkpoints and small patrol bases all partnered with U.S. Marines, the ANCOP and the Afghan National Army.
• My sense is it will probably take another 90 to 120 days before all of the population feels confident and comfortable.
• Now, the reason that they're not forthcoming yet is because there's still a level of intimidation in Marja, which will take the time that I prescribed to sort. • What is also striking -- remember I said we're focusing on central Helmand, of 600,000 people -- is that we now have freedom of movement throughout central Helmand. Again, before the 12th of February, it wasn't possible for Governor Mangal, the provincial governor, to travel from Lashkar Gar to Nad e Ali or to Marja or to Nawa. He can now do that on his own, with his own security detail.
• So we're making progress. And that is what we see at the moment. We're going in the right direction.
A couple of words on Hamkari Baraye (Kandahar):
• Now in terms of the insurgency, the rural area of Zhari, between the Arghandab River and Highway 1 is at the moment contested space.
• And in much the same way as Marja was, you'll find that in Zhari, insurgents have freedom of movement and the ability to control, suppress and oppress the population.
• The same applies to the southwestern part of Panjwa’i, between the Dori River and the Arghandab River.
• We estimate that there are probably between 500 and a thousand insurgents who regularly operate in the Arghandab and in the areas of Zhari and Panjwa’i, and they will be a military challenge to resolve.
• If you go to the city today, you'll find a thriving, bustling commercial environment, with bazaars and businesses and people earning a living.
• What you won't find, though, is much investment, for there's been little investment since the 1970s. You also won't find much electricity. And indeed, if you measure the kilowatts per capita per year of the community in Kandahar, you'll find that they get half of what the average person gets in El Salvador.
• Nor will you find much sanitation or much health care or, indeed, that much education.
• So it's pretty challenging in terms of productivity and in terms of quality of life. • But for the average Afghan who lives in the city, what bothers him most is the level of criminality. And it's a problem more of criminality and disorder than it is a problem of Taliban and insurgency.
• What's also needed is that governance must be improved, because at the moment, the mayor's office is not more – much more than one man deep, and similarly the governor's office. And what's required is for the capacity of those offices to be built up so that they can begin to bring the sort of order and administration to the city that I've described.
• Now, we will do this using the resources that begin to come online with the second force package of U.S. Army reinforcements that arrive in and around Kandahar, because that provides us with the capacity to train additional policemen, to partner with them, to improve the command and control and information-sharing of the Afghan forces in the city and, importantly, to impose a ring of security around the outskirts of the city to keep any potential insurgent intimidation at bay and to keep it out in the rural areas.
• All of that will begin to come in during the course of the next month or two. And by Ramadan, probably, you'll see first improvement in terms of the security in the city.
Opening Statement – SCR Spokesman ISAF News Conference GMIC – 12 Jun
As Josef mentioned I would like to take a few minutes to expand on the non-military aspects of our joint effort in Kandahar.
This effort is more about the people of Kandahar Province than it is about the insurgents.
It started several weeks ago, with the political phase, together with a gradually increasing security presence, which will continue to point where the Government can start delivering basic services and better governance, and eventually development. Will the insurgents try to stop this? That’s up to them but there is no planned military offensive and to report only on the anticipation of major fighting is missing the bigger picture and alarming an already fearful public.
The main effort in the Province of Kandahar, as it is in Central Helmand, has always been and continues to be the longer-term governance and development strategy to enhance the public’s confidence in its Government.
Hamkari is a combined Afghan and international civil-military effort to first improve the political situation by reaching out to disaffected groups, including the general public, tribal elders and community leaders, who feel excluded from the mainstream political process and caught in a web of corruption, criminality and a culture of impunity that is Kandahar.
The Government, led by President Karzai is determined to strengthen governance and ultimately deliver civil assistance and sustainable development to the people of Kandahar and the rest of the country. NATO is supporting this transition to Afghan responsibility and at a Meeting of Defence Ministers, in Brussels yesterday, the Secretary, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said that “Transition to Afghan lead is not only desirable it is inevitable”.
There are many things affecting Kandahar. In the rural areas there are tensions between the tribes and the tribes themselves have very little connection with their Government. Throughout the province there are power brokers and drug lords who exert their influence on the people. In the city where the lack of governance is very evident there is general lawlessness and pervasive corruption. All of these things have trapped the people of Kandahar, in many ways separating them from the rest of the country. This is why the Government needs to demonstrate its sovereignty, reach out to the people and provide for them.
As you can see there is more to the Kandahar story. The insurgents, as you would expect, are lurking in background trying to make matters worse by exploiting these tensions and driving a wedge between the public and their Government with indiscriminate violence, targeted assassinations, and a whisper campaign that tries to convince the people that their Government will never come for them.
A security effort without a political commitment to rebuild the Government’s credibility in Kandahar, or anywhere else, would only anesthetize the violence and the corruption that continues to plague this Southern Province.
Here is what is being done: President Karzai has led this effort from the start with a visit to the region and a major Shura a few months ago. These Shuras are now taking place across the province, on a regular basis led by the Government, including Gov Weesa, Jelani Popal, DG of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance. The Government is listening to the people of Kandahar, to understand the political issues, to determine the civil assistance priorities and find out what the people want their Government to do.
The Government is already focusing development and reconstruction resources at the district level to establish or enhance district centres, where the community can engage the government and the government can better serve the community.
As the security situation improves, plans are in place to enhance the presence of Kandahar government's key line ministries including Agriculture, Education, Health and Justice with the resources necessary to operate at the district level. This effort will repair roads, improve people’s access to electricity, fill vacant government positions, open schools, and improve healthcare services and more.
This Afghan effort, even with the help of the IC, will take considerable time. People won’t see a change overnight. It will take many months and there will be difficult days ahead as the insurgents will continue to try and stop the Government from providing for its people because the insurgents know that a public that has the confidence to stand up and reject their intimidation is a far greater threat than all the Afghan and international forces combined.
ISAF and the rest of the IC are helping to building Afghan government capacity to meet the needs identified by the people.
Just within the ISAF effort there are more than 80 civilians (Canadian and U.S.) are working with their Afghan counterparts are operating from the Kandahar PRT (KPRT) and six District Support Teams (DSTs) in Kandahar Province. These civilians are: diplomats, stabilization officers, development specialists, corrections experts and civilian police, who are doing remarkable work that is rarely reported. Add to this the other aid agencies like US AID and Canada’s CIDA and you will see that the civilian effort is central to the strategy.
Progress in Afghanistan will not be measured by the level of the insurgency, or their ability to intimidate progress, which is their goal, it will be measured by the Afghan people and the way they view their Government and how it deals with poverty, justice and security but more importantly their ability to understand how they want to live.
Happy to take your questions.
BACKGROUND:
As COM ISAF has reiterated and as Josef mentioned;
There are joint ISAF/ANSF security aspects to this effort which are deliberate and carefully paced to garner the support of the people of Kandahar, who are at the centre of this strategy.
Various GIRoA officials, ISAF/NATO representatives, international donor agencies and others will attend a conference June 21 in Kandahar to discuss the plan for implementing the District Delivery Program (DDP) and other ministry initiatives in Kandahar Province.
*
ISAF MINISTERS FOCUS ON TRANSITION TO AFGHAN LEAD
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/isaf-ministers-focus-on-transition-to-afghan-lead.html
6/10/10 ISAF Public Affairs Office
North Atlantic Council with non-NATO ISAF Contributors Left to right: Admiral James Stavridis (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) speaking with General Stanley A. McChrystal (Commander ISAF) and NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. (Copyright NATO 2010) Click to download.
NATO Opens New Communication Lines to Afghanistan »
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
BRUSSELS (June 11) – The NATO Defence Ministers met with their counterparts from non-NATO nations contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Their discussions focused on the process of transition to Afghan lead and the steps to be taken to drive it forward, particularly in terms of training the Afghan security forces.
The meeting began with a briefing by the ISAF Commander, General Stanley McChrystal, on the progress of operations. He explained that the current strategy is working but warned that progress towards real stability will be slow and deliberate in order to make sure that hard-won progress is enduring.
NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative, Ambassador Mark Sedwill, set out how the Alliance will work with the Afghan government to regain the political initiative as operational conditions improve enough to enable transition to Afghan lead.
What General McChrystal heard from 46 nations around the table was equally straightforward: ISAF will stay as long as necessary because a stable, sovereign Afghanistan means a safer world for all.
The NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, emphasized that NATO/ISAF nations are determined to assist the Afghan government in taking over responsibility for its own country. “Afghanistan belongs to the Afghans. Transition to Afghan lead is not only desirable, it is inevitable,” he said.
He also highlighted three fundamental elements with regard to transition. “First, transition does not mean withdrawal of our forces. It means shifting towards supporting Afghan forces, towards long-term training, mentoring and capacity building. Second, the military and civilian conditions have to be in place for transition to be irreversible. And third, we want those conditions to be in place as soon as possible,” he said.
TRANSITION TO AFGHAN LEAD
Addressing transition, the Afghan Defence Minister, General Abdul Rahim Wardak, said: “Transition must be conditions-based, it needs to be supported by governance and development, which are themselves underpinned by security.” He added: “We see transition as a process, not as an event isolated in time”.
Building on the discussions held earlier this year with representatives of the Afghan government, first at the London conference and then at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Tallinn, Ministers continued to discuss what needs to be achieved in the coming months to drive the transition forward in both the military and civilian spheres.
TRAINING
They focused in particular on the training of Afghan forces, welcoming the significant improvement in the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces but also recognizing that more trainers are needed to support that steady progress.
The NATO Secretary General urged Ministers to commit the 450 trainers still needed, out of the 2 123 required by March 2011. “Training is an investment in transition,” he said, “the more training we do, the sooner transition comes. It is a very simple calculation, and very smart investment.”
Ministers finally welcomed the Afghan government’s recent decision to advance the prospects of national reconciliation and called on the government to take further steps to deliver on its commitments, especially with respect to governance and anti-corruption.
*
ISAF FORCES PUSH BACK TALIBAN IN SOUTHERN NAD 'ALI
http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/isaf-forces-push-back-taliban-in-southern-nad-ali.html
6/8/10 Operation Moshtarak
British soldiers and Afghan security forces have been involved in a dramatic push south into insurgent-held territory to move Taliban fighters away from the population centres of the southern Nad 'Ali district and establish new patrol bases.
Commanding Officer of Combined Force Nad 'Ali, Lieutenant Colonel Frazer Lawrence, said:
"There are three small population centres down on the southern patrol baseline. At the moment, the patrol bases are right in the population centres. If the insurgent attacks the patrol bases it means the local population could get caught up in the fighting. That is the last thing that we want to happen.
"So the purpose of this operation has been to push the patrol bases further out to increase the security footprint, and to provide a buffer zone between the patrol bases and the local population, so that should fighting occur, the locals are not caught up in it."
The operation saw three new patrol bases taken over by British and Afghan forces. These were then used as footholds to provide protection from insurgents while Army bomb disposal experts cleared roads running into the new locations of IEDs.
At the same time, ground-holding patrols repelled insurgents on the right and left of the new routes, who were attempting to disrupt the operation.
The operation began with a move by the Brigade Reconnaissance Force in Jackal vehicles to pull insurgents away from the intended new patrol base areas. This was followed by a push at dawn by infantry troops to seize the new patrol base locations and establish hasty defensive positions to repel any Taliban attacks until the new compounds had been cleared of possible improvised explosive devices.
The push further south in the Nad 'Ali district continues the efforts made by British forces during Operation Moshtarak earlier in the year to increase the military footprint in the area and improve the lives of the local nationals by increasing freedom of movement and ultimately allowing economic development to take place and undermine the insurgency.
The aim now is to hold this ground and start reconstruction and development projects in the region:
"The next step is to focus on the three communities, make sure governance has improved in these areas, improve reconstruction, and to get these population centres secure," said Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence.
This article was first published on UK Ministry of Defence's website.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/BritishForcesPushBackTalibanInSouthernNadali.htm
UK Defence News - Afghanistan
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/InDepth/OperationsInAfghanistan.htm
Official Blog for UK Military Operations in Afghanistan
http://www.blogs.mod.uk/afghanistan/