UK PLAYS KEY ROLE IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN SECURITY

2 Oct 2005 10:45 AM

UK troops are playing a full role in international efforts to bring security to Afghanistan, John Reid said today as he witnessed at first
hand the work of the UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the
Northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The PRT is part of international efforts to expand the authority of the
Government of Afghanistan, facilitate Security Sector Reform and enable
reconstruction. As well as its military personnel, it includes representatives of the FCO and DFID. It works through close co-operation with the local security forces, and government and aid agencies. UK troops have played a key role in supporting Afghanistan's
national security forces - as well as encouraging local warlords to disarm and to acknowledge that Afghanistan is now a democracy.

Defence Secretary John Reid said:

"UK Armed Forces personnel in Mazar-e-Sharif, through cooperation, mediation and negotiations with local people, have achieved remarkable
things in helping the North Afghanistan provinces have a secure and sustainable future.

"Most notable is the substantial haul of weapons that have been volunteered by powerful local groups, who have been persuaded through the efforts of UK troops to disarm. In the last six months the Gurkhas
have recovered in excess of 2,300 weapons. This is a ringing endorsement
of the quality of our Armed Forces and the wider international effort across Afghanistan.

Mr Reid also visited a local police station, funded by the UK as part of
its commitment to rebuild the security infrastructure in the region. After the meeting with the local police chief, Defence Secretary John Reid said:

"A good start has been made on Security Sector Reform in Mazar-e-Sharif,
and police stations such as this are a tangible example of the developing capacity of the Afghan National Police.

"Our shared objective is to enable the people of Afghanistan to pursue
secure, prosperous and legal livelihoods, and the work being done by the
PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif is testament to that commitment."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. ISAF commands the PRTs in Northern Afghanistan. The UK PRT is based
in Mazar-e-Sharif, the largest city in northern Afghanistan, situated close to the Uzbekistan border. The PRTs support the local government
as well as non-governmental organisations in their efforts to rebuild the country at the regional level. Principally, they are involved in fostering relations with the key political figures whilst, at the same
time, promoting the Afghan national governmental initiatives to improve
security and carry forward reconstruction within Afghanistan. The PRTs
form smaller self-sufficient teams, known as Military Observer Teams (MOTs), which travel out to the more remote regions to meet with the local community and regional leaders, with the aim of promoting the authority of central and regional government.

2. UK MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN THE PRTs. Founded in June 2003 under OP TARROCK, The Mazar-e Sharif PRT is has about 100 UK military personnel. In addition, we provide a Quick Reaction Force for NATO PRTs
across Northern Afghanistan and a contribution to the Forward Support Base, both based at the airfield outside Mazar-e Sharif. All told, the
UK military presence in Area North is some 250 strong.

3. UK military operations in Afghanistan are currently conducted under the name Operation HERRICK. They have also been conducted under
the names Operation VERITAS
<http://www.operations.mod.uk/veritas/index.htm> and Operation FINGAL
<http://www.operations.mod.uk/fingal/index.htm> (ISAF)and Operation TARROCK.Operation JACANA, conducted by 45 Commando Group, included Operations PTARMIGAN
<http://www.operations.mod.uk/veritas/ptarmigan.htm> , SNIPE <http://www.operations.mod.uk/veritas/snipe.htm> , CONDOR <http://www.operations.mod.uk/veritas/condor.htm> and BUZZARD <http://www.operations.mod.uk/veritas/buzzard.htm> .

4. Afghanistan Roulement Infantry Battalion (ARIB) is currently based on the 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles
<http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/rgr/2_rgr/index.htm> . 2 RGR
will roule with the 1st Battalion Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and
Wiltshire Light Infantry <http://www.army.mod.uk/rgbw/index.htm> in October 2005.

5. The ARIB forms the major part to the UK commitment to Afghanistan and contributes to the multi-national International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) <http://www.afnorth.nato.int/ISAF/> . The Battalion is involved in a variety of peace support operations in Kabul
and in the northern provinces. The task of the ARIB is to assist the Afghan Government in maintaining a stable and secure environment to allow the country to rebuild itself. The ARIB has four main roles:

a. The provision of the KPC;

b. The provision of the provincial Reconstruction Team in Mazar-e Sharif;

c. The provision of a Quick Reaction Company for ISAF's
Area North, also based in Mazar-e Sharif, and;

d. The provision of the Afghan National Army Training Team, which is dedicated to NCO training for the Afghan National Army.

6. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT
http://www.operations.mod.uk/afghanistan/index.htm