June 17, Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, Commander of the ISAF Joint Command, Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto, Commander of the ISAF Regional Command West, and Chief of ANA General Staff Gen. Bismullah Khan visited camp of the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor province, Afghanistan.
In a meeting with Commander PRT-11 Lt. Col. Gintaras Smaliukas high-ranking guests discussed security situation in the province, challenges faced in Ghor province, and cooperation of ISAF and local forces to the end of ensuring security. In Ghor high officers also met with heads of local police and National Security Department of Afghanistan.
Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team of Ghor 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 Ghor 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.
ISAF territory of operations is divided into six operational regions protected by PRTs. The PRT Lithuania maintains in Ghor is subordinate to the Regional Command-West based in Herat together with another three PRTs.
PRT-11 currently providing security in Ghor is based on the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion. The Battalion provides personnel for the multinational mission for the second time. A great part of deployed servicemen have already taken part in multinational operations in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.
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 D.Toleikio.
Pictures:
- Commander PRT-11 Lt. Col. G. Smaliukas and Commander Regional Command-West Brig. Gen. C. Berto.
- Commander ISAF Joint Command Lt. Gen. D. M. Rodriguez.
- Chief of ANA General Staff Gen. B. Khan and Head of PRT Civilian Component Linas Linkevičius.
