Operation Improves Security For Locals

Operation Improves Security For Locals

A major operation being conducted by Australian and Afghan National Army (ANA) forces has experienced early operational success, uncovering a significant number of caches to the east of Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan.

Twenty-three caches have been found since the operation began on the 1st of January. The contents included Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components, rocket propelled grenades, mortars, home-made explosive and thousands of rounds of small arms ammunition.

2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Hocking, said like the caches located in December, these latest finds are helping to save lives.

“This is the first large deliberate operation in what has been an insurgent and IED hotspot,” said Lieutenant Colonel Hocking.

“We’ve already reduced the insurgents’ capability with some significant cache finds in Mirabad. Operation Pelatel Man’a has further reduced the insurgents’ ability to threaten, intimidate and harm the population.”

“The great thing about this operation is that it was planned, executed and will be reviewed in partnership with the ANA,” Lieutenant Colonel Hocking said.

Following the initial clearance phase, MRTF-2, ANA and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners concentrated on gaining the support of the population in the broader Mirabad Valley Region and met with local leaders.

Lieutenant Colonel Hocking said once the Afghan people trust that there will be persistent security, it will give them more freedom to engage government organisations and allow a free discussion of what their needs are and how their government can help them.

“Operation Pelatel Man’a is about convincing the population that the Afghan National Army is capable of providing security in the Mirabad Valley Region and about commencing development to improve the lives of the people now and into the future. It’s about gaining and then deepening the trust of the people.

“To convince people that the Afghan National Army and coalition forces can provide security, it needs to be more than words, it needs to be deeds. Words are very hollow in Afghanistan as a result of its difficult history,” Lieutenant Colonel Hocking said.

Operation Pelatel Man’a involved soldiers from the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force, the ANA’s 3rd Kandak (battalion) and other ISAF partners.

The continual discovery of caches helps to reverse the momentum of the insurgency, contributing to stability and security for the people of Oruzgan province.

ENDS

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