Flood Relief In Badghis Alternative Livelihood Fruit Tree Distribution ANA De-Mining Course OMLT Training 3. Foreword 4. Alternative livelihood fruit tree distribution Commander’s Foreword HAVE YOU GOT A STORY? HAVE YOU 5. CODAN radio system for Farah General Richards province GOT A CAMERA? Then you could be one of the ISAF MIRROR journalists! 6. A tale of two schools Send your articles and photos about ISAF activities and, who knows, you 8. Aerial cavalry makes life-or-death could could be in the next issue. difference The ISAF Mirror is a Public Information 10. Kandahar residents travel to Mecca product. Articles, where possible, have 14. Bank opens its dorrs in Qalat city been kept in their original form. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and 15. TV station paves way for Kapisa’s do not necessarily reflect official NATO, future JFC HQ Brunssum or ISAF policy. Photo credits are given to the authors of the 16. First ANA engineer de-mining class submission, unless otherwise stated. 17. Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams Submissions can be e-mailed to: [email protected] In this, the last 2006 Edition of the ISAF Mirror, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight a few of the many 18. Sabr Information Campaign achievements and successes which you have all contributed to in support of the mission over the last month. Articles should be in MS Word format 20. Turkish battle group continue aid (Arial), photos should be at least 4.5cm Operation OQAB remains our main effort, especially in Regional Command South, where Afghan National assistance and 300 dpi resolution. The ISAF Mirror Security Forces (ANSF) and ISAF troops are having a significant success in delivering improvements in is published monthly and aims to be Reconstruction and Development (R&D) through enhanced security. In support of the Government of Afghanistan 22. ISAF helicopter delivered essential available by the first Friday of the month. and provincial authorities we are also taking forward plans, together with the International Community, to supplies improve governance. R&D and governance, together with enhancing military to military relations with Pakistan through the Tripartite Commission, are my focus for ISAF IX’s remaining time in Afghanistan. Our aim is to For more information please call the 23. Change of command at PRT engender in the population a growing perception of improvement and a higher level of confidence in the future; Meymaneh editor on 0799 511230. this in itself will undermine and weaken those opposed to the Government and will of the people. The electronic version of this magazine Of great significance has been the way ISAF is undertaking extensive interaction with Afghans of many can be downloaded online at: different backgrounds prior to operations. Through Shuras with local tribal leaders, key leader engagement www.nato.int/isaf and extensive combined joint planning with ANSF from the outset, maximum effect has been delivered in subsequent manoeuvre operations. The success of such an approach has been amply demonstrated by Operation BAAZ TSUKA in Kandahar Province and Operation CENTAUR OQAB in the Musayi valley, to the south of Kabul. Combined with a sophisticated and thought through humanitarian assistance and follow up R&D programme these operations, in addition to all of the others occurring across ISAF, meant that OQAB is ready to move onto its second stage in many areas. This will involve maintaining pressure on insurgents throughout the winter while continuing to build on progress to date. The establishment of Provincial Coordination Centres, and associated Provincial Security Committees, throughout the country will provide the means to deliver a coordinated approach to R&D and governance to complement that now taking place in Kabul through the Policy Action Group and its sub pillars on strategic communications, R&D, operations and intelligence. Cross government policy formulation and implementation structures will now be in place from State to District level. This edition of the Mirror highlights some of your efforts in supporting the R&D within Afghanistan from the bottom up, activities and initiatives that are possible through the establishment and maintenance of a safe and secure environment. Wining over and keeping the hearts and minds of the population remains vital to our mission. The population must be given a stake in society and the bond of trust between people and Managing Editor Editor Layout / Design government nurtured and developed. Lt Col Nick Grant-Thorold Capt Lisa Tankaria-Clifford SM René Ketting Chief PIO Chief Internal Info Chief Photographer Of course there is still much to be done and this is where the actions of all parties are vital over the next couple of months. We have achieved a tremendous amount in the eight months of ISAF IX’s mission so far Front cover by: SM René Ketting Back cover by: Sgt Frank Proctor completed. Although many of you will be coming to the end of your time in Afghanistan do not let up on your efforts. Together we can make 2007 as successful as the year about to close. 2 ISAF MIRROR ISAF MIRROR 3 RC(W) RC(W) Alternative Livelihood Fruit Tree Distribution CODAN Radio System For Farah Province Cpt A Bernardo (IT-A) Developed by the Chief of the Provincial Gina Gillespie PIO PRT Herat Agriculture Department, Engineer Mohammad FMT PRT Farah In addition to providing a fast communications Ismaeil Haidazadeia, the project will see the link for emergencies, the system will allow for daily coordination of logistical matters, like the On the 23rd of November a symbolic donation planting of fruits trees as an alternative to the Still in its first six months of operation, the delivery of food and water. Eventually the system of a small amount of fruit trees to farmers in cultivation of opium, and the employment of Provincial Coordination Centre (PCC) at PRT will also provide the capability to operate a fax the Shindand district of Herat province officially former combatants to carry out the labour. The Farah recently received a major operational machine. The new antenna is funded by the started the distribution of 12,000 fruit trees to programme has been coordinated with the boost. A solar-powered, hi-frequency CODAN Ministry of the Interior, and will be maintained by promote alternative livelihoods. The ceremony Disbandment of Illegally Armed Groups (DIAG) Radio System will expand communication the Afghan Police Programme. took place in the courtyard in front of the initiatives in Herat province. into the rural areas, adding 39 channels to the Shindand Governor’s residence. existing 80 channel system. The new system Colonel Abdul Zaher looks after communications At present the project is being implemented has built-in compatibility with all police stations in for the Afghan National Police in Farah province. During the ceremony the PRT Commander, in 6 districts of the province. Plans are being Afghanistan, and will allow for communications He says the new system will be cheaper to Colonel Filippo Ferrandu, said, “PRT Herat finalised to introduce the project to the remaining with regions as far away as Kunduz or Mazar-e operate, and solve a lot of problems. “We will now is put at the disposal of others in order to let 9 districts of the province. It is anticipated that Sharif. be able to collect reports from the rural areas,” the local authorities perform in the best way to about 65,000 fruit trees, including apricot trees, he says. “You can program the frequencies to be satisfy the requirements of the population.” cherry trees, apple trees and peach trees, as Police mentor Randy Martinak from the civilian secure. From here to Kabul, to Herat, we can talk well as almond trees, will be planted, at a cost contractor Dyncorps, oversaw the installation to each district. We can talk to anyone throughout Mr Mohammad Nacim Kakar, the Governor of US$55,102. of the antenna. “Right now the PCC is limited Afghanistan. It is very important for us.” of Shindand, stated that he was honoured by in communications. We are still making contact the presence of the Italian military personnel in In the 6 districts involved it is estimated that the through Roshan or Satellite phones. This will The PCC brings together representatives from the Shindand district, and expressed his gratitude initiative could provide work for approximately give us better communications, and will be less Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, for the ongoing projects being carried out by the 800 families, with an indirect benefit to 200,000 expensive,” he says. During a recent Taliban National Directorate of Security and the Border Civil and Military Cooperation (CIMIC) team. people. The implementation of the programme attack in Pusht-e Koh District, the call for help Police. Together they man the PCC around the aims to assist with the eradication of opium came from a citizen using a satellite phone. “We clock. Working together allows them to coordinate cultivation by contributing to an increase in fruit need immediate details, not delayed information information and resources to develop a collective production. caused by someone searching for a satellite plan of action. Since their inauguration on June phone,” he says. 1st, they’ve seen improvements in available resources and inter-agency coordination. “Inter- agency coordination in terms of responding to emergencies has improved due to better communications and relationships between agencies,” says Lieutenant Commander Mike Moran, head of the PCC. 4 ISAF MIRROR ISAF MIRROR 5 RC(W) RC(W) A Tale Of Two Schools “I have a lot of problems, but I am continuing my The SHAPE International School was education, because knowledge and education is established in 1967 by four sponsoring nations, very important.