Ghwor: ISAF RC-W continues to support the communities affected by the recent floods

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 13) – ISAF Regional Command West continues to support the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) of Ghwor, that is leading all the efforts of GO’s and NGO’s operating in the area, to assist the victims of the severe floods that affected the province last week.

Farah Governor visits Por Chaman for first time, vows more trips will come

POR CHAMAN, Afghanistan (May 10, 2010) – Farah Provincial Governor Rahool Amin, with support from Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah, visited the distant district of Por Chaman to meet with District Sub-Governor Saleem and assess the needs of the Afghan people in Farah Province

Poetry festival signifies Farah’s step towards normalcy

FARAH, Afghanistan (May 08, 2010) – The Farah Provincial Governor hosted the Anab Gull Poetry Festival on his compound, as an effort to celebrate and showcase the rich cultural history of Farah Province with its citizens in Farah

Spanish Agency for International Development

Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) has conducted training workshop of experiment of animal diseases with collaboration of Badghis Agriculture and Livestock Department) DAIL).Officials of AECID animal health section say, this is the first training workshop to test for animal diseases in Afghanistan conducted in Badghis province. This four day program had two sections: theoretical, practical)

Herat: three insurgents detained in Parwan reject violence

Three insurgents detained in the prison of Parwan were released today in Herat after they’ve adhered to the reintegration program led and advised by the Afghan government to persuade insurgents to terminate their fight and assume a legitimate role in their communities.

After 30-year absence, Jirga held in Moqur district

MOQUR, Afghanistan (May 8) – District elders held a Grand Jirga May 6 in Moqur, one of the districts most affected by the insurgency in Badghis province. A Grand Jirga is an ancestral convention between Afghan rulers and the population. This Jirga has not been held for 30 years in Moqur.

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.

ANSF Growing In Partnership in southern Badghis province

All around Afghanistan, examples of massive teamwork between Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition Forces can be seen. The Badghis Province borders the western edge of Afghanistan and is another prime example of multinational teamwork. Beginning in October 2009 and continuing through the present, ANSF have partnered with Team Battle, Task Force Professional, 4th Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, and a team from U.S. Marine Special Operations Forces to establish an area of security and Afghan Government presence around Muqor District, Badghis Province.

ISAF medics treat three Afghan children involved in a car accident

HERAT, Afghanistan (May 1) – Yesterday, three Afghan children aged 7, 13 and 15, have been involved in a car accident near Herat airport.Alerted by the Afghan Border Police, members of ISAF Regional Command West Headquarters immediately provided first aid to injured children and transferred them to the medical facility in Camp “Arena”.The check-up resulted with no consequences for the younger children and minor injuries to a hand for the girl.

Herat: Italian Carabinieri of RC-W train 341 Afghan policemen

HERAT, Afghanistan (April 29, 2010) – Following an examination yesterday in Herat and Adraskan, in Western Afghanistan, 341 new agents of the Afghan National Police have passed their final examinations.

The examiners were the Italian Carabinieri from special units of ISAF Regional Command West deployed in Afghanistan to train local forces under the Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (POMLT) and Police Speciality Training Team (PSTT).

Governance, a priority for Herat PRT

HERAT, Afghanistan (Apr. 27) – The Italian Provincial Reconstruction Team in Herat is working to support governance throughout the region. Among its priorities is helping local agencies develop practices for good
   governance. The PRT commander meets regularly with local administrators and has been invited to participate in the Herat Provincial Development Committee. The PDC is the body which helps decide policies for the province and includes representatives from Kabul’s main line-ministries. The PDC is also attended by those international organizations that support development and good governance.

1st Bersaglieri Regiment transfers authority to 3rd Alpini Regiment in Shindand

HERAT, Afghanistan (Apr. 27) – The Italian 1st Bersaglieri Regiment in Shindand, responsible for Task Force Center, transferred authority with the Italian 3rd Alpini Regiment after a six-month deployment in Western Afghanistan during a ceremony today.Col. Francesco Maria Ceravolo, the Bersaglieri Regiment commander, and Col. Giulio Armando Lucia completed the tranfer at the forward operational base 'La Marmora.' Several district authorities and Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto, Regional Command West commander, attended the ceremony.

Farah hosts first Alternative Livelihood Donor meeting

FARAH, Afghanistan (April 14, 2010) –Farah provincial leadership hosted the first Alternative Livelihood Donors Coordination meeting, April 14, in Farah, Afghanistan.

Farah Governor, local Bala Baluk officials gather for district shura

SHEWAN, Afghanistan (April 22, 2010) – Local officials gathered for a shura hosted by Farah Provincial Governor Rahool Amin to discuss issues concerning the province in the district of Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, April 22.Although, security and governance is a popular topic of discussion during local shuras, the need for Bakshabad Dam was the underlying theme during this meeting.

ending of third awareness workshop of gendar in Badghis

Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) held the third awareness workshop with the close collaboration of Women Affairs Department for Badghis during the current year. These workshops deal with different gender issues.Officials from Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation informed that recently they had held an awareness program titled “Women empowerment”. Thirty six people of Qadis, Abkamri, Muqor and Qale-Now Districts, government and non government employees, attended this training.

Shib Koh breaks ground on Ken Clinic, opens Doqala Clinic

SHIB KOH, Afghanistan (April 21, 2010) – Personnel from Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah joined key members of the Shib Koh district in a groundbreaking ceremony for Ken Clinic and a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the grand-opening of Doqala Clinic, April 20, in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

“The groundbreaking ceremony signified the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Health, government officials, and the people of Ken village; they identified a need for the community and are working towards a solution in building the new clinic,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Adam Armstrong, Senior Medical Officer, PRT Farah.