NATO Assumes Command in Southern Afghanistan

NATO assumes command in the south; as rear guard or as an occupation force? The timetable for complete withdrawal, as far as I know, hasn’t been ‘developed’, ‘completed’ or ‘released’ yet…Perhaps this will amount to a reduction in the fighting though…

The NATO-ISAF forces operating in Regional Command South come from Australia, Britain, Canada, Estonia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania and the United States. NATO-ISAF forces have been flowing into the south for several months, preparing for the transfer of authority. When fully deployed, the force will total about 8,000 troops in the area, bringing the total ISAF force level to about 18,500.

The southern Afghanistan area of operations includes six provinces – Day Kundi, Helmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Uruzgan and Zabul.

“This is one of the most challenging tasks NATO has every taken on, but it is a critical contribution to international security and a demonstration of our commitment to the people of Afghanistan,”NATO Secretary-General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer said.

ISAF assists the government of Afghanistan and the international community in maintaining security in its area of operations. Until now it had only been operating in the 13 provinces of northern and western Afghanistan. In these regions, ISAF also commands the military components of nine provincial reconstruction teams.

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