Italy’s Civil-Military System in Herat’s health care system

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 5) – A joint effort between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence will enable Afghans to have two high standard health structures in the near future. The program is working on a pediatric hospital and a regional hospital completely restructured that will serve about one million Afghans.These facilities represent an example of constructive and concrete synergy between various Italian organizations in Herat. The civilian organization is headed by Dr. Sergio Maffettone. The military component of the Provincial Reconstruction Team is led by Italian Col. Emmanuele Aresu; and the Italian Cooperation in Herat is represented by Dr. Marco Urago.

a- 26 new border police and customs agents graduate with the Italian Guardia di Finanza

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 6) – Twenty-six new agents of the Afghan Border Police and Customs Police received their graduation certificates today during a ceremony held by Task Force Grifo, the specialised unit of the Italian Guardia di Finanza in Regional Command West.The training of Afghan security forces responsible for border security and customs is one of the tasks assigned to the Guardia di Finanza troops. In 2006, Italy – one of the few countries that have a Police Corps specializing in the field of border control and customs and in the fight against smuggling and tax evasion - made available a task force. Since then, Task Force Grifo, with a specialized training program, has trained more than 600 Afghan agents of Afghan border police, Customs Police and officials of the Afghanistan Customs Administration.

Albanian Minister of Defense visits RC-West

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 4) – Mr Arben Imami, The Albanian Minister of Defense, visited the Regional Command West headquarters at Camp Arena today. RC-West is the ISAF command responsible for Western Afghanistan, with contributions from eleven Nations, including Albania, which is part of RC-West since 2007. After meeting with Gen. Claudio Berto, RC-West Commander, Mr Imami met the Albanian contingent deployed in Herat. The 222 Albanian troops are part of the surveillance and force protection elements at Camp Arena. The military contingent from Tirana, Albania’s capital and largest city, belong to two units of the army's elite forces: 112 troops from the 2nd Battalion of the rapid reaction Brigade and 110 troops from the Commandos regiment. The two units are respectively by Maj. Sokol Pitomina and by Maj. Naim Dani.

Flood in Herat Province: the Afghan National Security Forces rescue the population with the support of ISAF Regional Command West

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 05) – The Afghan National Security Forces – supported by ISAF Regional Command West – are currently engaged in the rescue of the population of Obeh, 100 km east of Herat, hit by a sudden flood that - according to first reports by the local authorities - has caused 15 victims, 30 injured and an unknown number of people missing. In the early morning of today, Italian helicopter assets of Regional Command West conducted a first aerial survey of the area providing a first assessment for the Afghan authorities. The Italian Provincial Reconstruction Team of Herat has immediately made available 200 blankets, 5 tons of food, 20 thousands water bottles and other humanitarian items that will be forwarded to Obeh by means of Italian and Afghan military helicopters and will be distributed by the Afghan authorities, that are leading the rescue operations.

Afghan and ISAF Troops of RC-W find a weapons and ammo cache in Zeerko Valley, district of Shindand

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 1) – In the early morning of today, the

partnership between Afghan National Army units and Italian troops of ISAF RC-W led to a successful operation aimed at countering the Insurgents’ presence in the Zeerko Valley, in the area of operations of RC-W Task Force Center.