NATO Secretary General Rasmussen addresses a news conference at the end of a NATO-Afghanistan defence ministers meeting in Brussels
During a NATO Defence Ministers meeting today, NATO has approved six Afghan regions for handover to Afghan government forces. The regions include two in which there hasn't been much insurgent activity.
The NATO plan, if approved by the Karzai government, will start handing over the cities of Herat in the west and Mazar-i-Sharif in the north. This will be the first part of the transition phase.
The Canadian PressThe Canadian Press reported last week that both areas are safer than Kabul City and Canadian troops had eyed the areas for training the Afghan National Army, when Canada ends its combat mission in July of next year. Surobi District is also on the transition list.
Bamiyan and Panshir Provinces are also on the list. Both areas have seen little or no fighting.
Lashkar Gah, the Capital of Hellmand Province has seen some of the bloodiest fighting last year. Nonetheless it rounds up the handover regions. Mentoring by both British and Canadian Forces have mentored the Afghan National Army in that Province in the past. The Operational Mentor Liaison Teams have been succesful in encouraging ANA officers to plan and execute operations on their own.
The transition plan is of importance to NATO's exit strategy. NATO is aiming at handing over control of all security to Afghan government forces by 2014. While the United States has pledge to back up Afghan forces as has been the case in Iraq, most other NATO nations are expected to leave Afghanistan by then.
While this plan is encouraging, it remains to be seen if all the goals will be met for handover in 2014. The early signs appear to be a little more encouraging now.
President Karzai is expected to announce the plan on March 21st. According to the Canadian Press the list was provided by officials and diplomats, who spoke on conditions of anomynity.
During a NATO Defence Ministers meeting today, NATO has approved six Afghan regions for handover to Afghan government forces. The regions include two in which there hasn't been much insurgent activity.
The NATO plan, if approved by the Karzai government, will start handing over the cities of Herat in the west and Mazar-i-Sharif in the north. This will be the first part of the transition phase.
The Canadian PressThe Canadian Press reported last week that both areas are safer than Kabul City and Canadian troops had eyed the areas for training the Afghan National Army, when Canada ends its combat mission in July of next year. Surobi District is also on the transition list.
Bamiyan and Panshir Provinces are also on the list. Both areas have seen little or no fighting.
Lashkar Gah, the Capital of Hellmand Province has seen some of the bloodiest fighting last year. Nonetheless it rounds up the handover regions. Mentoring by both British and Canadian Forces have mentored the Afghan National Army in that Province in the past. The Operational Mentor Liaison Teams have been succesful in encouraging ANA officers to plan and execute operations on their own.
The transition plan is of importance to NATO's exit strategy. NATO is aiming at handing over control of all security to Afghan government forces by 2014. While the United States has pledge to back up Afghan forces as has been the case in Iraq, most other NATO nations are expected to leave Afghanistan by then.
While this plan is encouraging, it remains to be seen if all the goals will be met for handover in 2014. The early signs appear to be a little more encouraging now.
President Karzai is expected to announce the plan on March 21st. According to the Canadian Press the list was provided by officials and diplomats, who spoke on conditions of anomynity.
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