May 5, troops of the Lithuanian-led Ghowr Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT-11) conducted foot patrol in the provincial capital Chaghcharan. Peacekeepers talked with locals, asked them about their problems, and distributed press. PRT members presented radio sets to people who had no television and were not receiving press so that all the inhabitants of Ghowr would be updated on current news of the province.
„Situation is changing each year. People complain less about food, drinking water, security and education problems that used to be acute. The majority of interviewed admitted that they were satisfied with the gradually increasing quality of life and security in Chaghcharan. Besides, I noticed that there are increasingly more children addressing us in English", said Capt. Romualdas Meironas, organiser of the patrol.
Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion (Tauragė Distr.) provides the majority of military personnel for PRT-11. More than a half of PRT-11 personnel already have experience of international deployments in the Balkan region, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The rotation took over the mission from PRT-10 in May 2010.
Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team of Ghowr based in Chaghcharan, provincial capital, is a joint military-civilian mission operating under the NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Lithuania took responsibility for the PRT of Ghowr province based in Chaghcharan in summer of 2005. The main objective of the PRT mission is to assist the Central Government of Afghanistan to extend its authority throughout the province, to ensure security and to help built environment favourable for provincial reconstruction.
Along with around 150 civilians and military from Lithuania representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Romania and Ukraine serve in the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team.
PIO for PRT-11 Capt. Darius Toleikis
Pictures by PRT-11
