JOINT SECRETARIAT FOR PEACE FIRST MEETING IN QAL-EH-YE-NOW

Badghis, Afghanistan (October 20) – The first meeting of the Joint Secretariat for Peace took place in Qal-eh-ye now.

ISAF INAUGURATES A NEW SCHOOL IN AB SHORA

Herat, Afghanistan (October 19) – Classes have started today in the new school created by the Spanish PRT in the vicinity of Ab Shora (Badghis). The school was inaugurated by the ESP PRT Chief, Captain Campos and the project responsible Mr. Wahid Rahimy. The cost of the project was 39.100 $ which came from the Spanish Minister of Defense Operational Command.

The school consists of 4 classrooms and its furniture, 60 double tables, blackboards, chairs, and toilets.

The Spanish PRT also provided to the vicinity of Ab Shora, with 12 snow deposits of 14 m2 each.

Heart: Regional Command West of ISAF has a new Commander

Herat, Afghanistan (18 October) – Italian Brigadier General Marcello BELLACICCO is the new commander of Regional Command West of ISAF. He took over from general Claudio BERTO after six months of duty in the western region of Afghanistan.

Thirteen explosive devices neutralized

Herat, Afghanistan (October, 14th) – Thirteen explosive devices were disposed today by ISAF forces in partnership with Afghan security forces in two different locations in western Afghanistan.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FARAH CELEBRATES NAVY BIRTHDAY

FARAH, Afghanistan (October, 13th). Sailors assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah celebrated the United States Navy’s 235th birthday by cooking and serving a feast to their fellow service members on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Farah in Afghanistan, Oct. 13.

ISAF AND ANSF TO GUARANTEE WATER IRRIGATION IN BALA MORGHAB.

Herat, Afghanistan (October, 11th) – The “security bubble” provided by ANP and ANA, in cooperation with American and Italian TF,s in Bala Morghab; guarantees its freedom for working activity and economical development. In particular is the agriculture, the main economical activity in the Morghab valley, which takes benefit of the security area.

FORMER PRT COMPOUND HANDED OVER TO QAL’EH-YE NOW LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

Herat, Afghanistan (October, 12th) – The Spanish PRT Commander, Colonel Luis Martinez Trascasa, has return the former PRT Base “General Urrutia” to the Governor the Badghis province, Mr. Delbar Jan Arman.

PRT FARAH MEDICS TREAT ANA SOLDIER AFTER IED BLAST.

Herat, Afghanistan (October, 10th) – An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier was brought to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Farah for treatment after a improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the northern part of Pusht-e-Rod district, Afghanistan, Oct. 10.

The ANA soldier’s injuries included multiple fragment wounds to the right arm leg, and lacerations to the right shoulder and face.

Currently the ANA solider is undergoing surgery, and will be transported to another hospital for further treatment if necessary.

Two other ANA soldiers were injured in the incident and brought to an aid station in Pusht-e-Rod for treatment and later flown to a more comprehensive medical care unit.

Shindand: ISAF troops neutralize unexploded ordnance recovered by Afghan troops during the election days

Shindand, Afghanistan (September,23) –The Italian IEDD team of Task Force Centre in Shindand neutralized a huge quantity of unexploded ordnance found along the route linking Herat to Farah, in Shindand district, on the elections’ day.

The weapons - consisting of 4 rockets, 2 mines, 1 RPG and a conspicuous number of IED components – had been found by the Afghan last September 18th and were handed over ISAF’s forces to be safely destroyed.

No Afghan civilians or properties were harmed during this operation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/isafmedia/sets/72157625023802254

Badghis Deputy Governor and Spanish soldiers deliver supplies to reintegrated insurgents.

Qal-eh ye Now, Afghanistan (Sept 23)- Some supplies have been delivered to a group of 10 former insurgents that joint the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program (APRP) few days ago. During a short ceremony held yesterday in the head office of the government in Qal-eh ye Now, the capital of the province, the Deputy Provincial Governor, Alhaj Abdol-Ghani Saberi along with the Deputy Commander of the Spanish-led Provincial Reconstruction Team, Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Escamez, handed over the humanitarian aid.

The group, that used to operate in Jawand district, also in the province of Badghis, was provided with 40 bags of flour of 50 kilogram each, 40 bags of rice weighing 25 kg each, 40 3-liter jugs of oil and 40 blankets.

The APRP is a program owned and led by the Afghan government and has the full support of the international community. Is a comprehensive program that benefits also local communities, by accepting the former fighters back to their families.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/isafmedia/sets/72157625016215988

A brand new kindergarten inaugurated in Badghis province by the local authorities and ISAF’s PRT.

A brand new kindergarten was inaugurated in Qal-eh ye Now, the capital of Badghis province, after a ceremony attended by Badghis’ Deputy Governor, Alhaj Abdol-Ghani Saberi, along with other governmental and religious representatives, and the Deputy Commander of the Spanish Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Badghis, Lieutenant Coronel Alejandro Escamez.

The building features five classrooms, one teachers-room, a principal´s room, a kitchen, three bathrooms and a playground. All rooms have been completely furnished and the structure has been equipped with two 1000-liters water tanks.

The kindergarten, worth over 60,000 € funded by the Spanish PRT, will be managed by the provincial Social Affairs department and will benefit to 120 children from Qal-eh ye Now and surroundings. Staff will consist of six teachers, including the principal.

After the ceremony, the PRT soldiers delivered school supplies to each child.

Farah Provincial Governor conducts shura in distant Pur Chaman district to promote governance, development

Farah Provincial Governor Rahool Amin and other provincial level officials conducted a two-day visit to Pur Chaman, Afghanistan, Farah Province’s most remote district, to conduct a shura and meet with district level officials to promote governance and development, Sept. 15.

10 Insurgents join the Reintegration program in Badghis province.

A 10-insurgents group turned in their weapons in a Reintegration Ceremony that took place in Qal´eh-ye Now, the capital of Badghis province, on September 16.

Adraskan: 450 new Afghan Civil Order Police agents graduate from NATO Training Centre.

HERAT, Afghanistan (10 September) – After 14 weeks of training, 450 policemen graduated from Adraskan’s NATO Training Centre. The course comprised elements of Law, Shooting, Topography, Anti-riot and Check-point techniques, Counter-IED, Driving and Combat skills.  

Badghis: reconciliation takes place in Qal´eh-ye Now after August’s incidents

Qal´eh-ye Now, Afghanistan (September 05, 2010) – Last Saturday, Badghis Governor, Delbar Jan Arman, called for a Shura in the Hotel Marco Polo in Qal´eh-ye Now, gathering more than 200 elders representing all the population sectors in the province. During the Shura, they agreed to condemn the events happened last August 25th, when two Spanish ANP trainers and one interpreter were killed and the subsequent riots that took place.

Iftar Dinner hosted at FOB Farah in celebration of Ramadan

FARAH, Afghanistan (September 06, 2010) – Dignified leaders in Farah Province, Coalition forces and United States Agency for International Development representatives gathered to take part in an Iftar Dinner hosted by The Department of State on Forward Operating Base Farah, in Afghanistan, Sept. 6.

Herat: Local Authorities and PRT hold Groundbreaking Ceremony for a new Comprehensive Health Centre in Injil

HERAT, Afghanistan (5 September) – The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new comprehensive health Centre was held in the district of Injil, Herat Province. 

Farah: two suspected insurgents arrested by an Afghan and coalition security force

Herat (Afghanistan), 6 September 2010. - An Afghan and coalition security
force operation resulted in the detention of two suspected insurgents
in Farah province.

Ice stand explodes, 5 injured treated by FST

Farah, Afghanistan (September 05, 2010) – Three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and two children were brought to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Farah for treatment after a improvised explosive device (IED) detonated an ice stand in Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, Sept. 5.

Among the three ANA soldiers, injuries included head traumas, severe burns, and extensive extremity and internal injuries. All were all evacuated to Kandahar Air Field for further treatment.

The two children age eight and twelve sustained shrapnel wounds to the body and were unresponsive due to severe injuries and burns to their faces.

“The kids in this country are innocent bystanders, and it’s a shame that they are continuously taking the brunt of the insurgent attacks,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Gareth Evans of San Diego, Calif., physician assistant for Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. 

Currently the children are undergoing surgery, and will be transported to another hospital for further treatment if necessary.

Herat. ANSF and Regional Command West conduct District Stability Operations in the remote districts of Western Afghanistan

Herat, 30 August 2010 – An important ‘District Stability’ Operation was conducted over 6 days by the ANSF with the support of the Italian PRT and RC-W’s troops in Chest-e-Sharif, a remote district located 140 km from Herat.