US Marines to return to Afghanistan´s Helmand province

[Devil Soul]

US Marines to return to Afghanistan´s Helmand province
Home / World / US Marines to return to Afghanistan´s Helmand province
By AFP
January 07, 2017
Latest : World

• 0
• 0

WASHINGTON: Some 300 US Marines will head to Helmand province in Afghanistan this spring to help a NATO-led mission to train Afghan forces, the Marines said Friday.

The move puts Marines back in Helmand, who left in 2014 as NATO withdrew its forces and let Afghan troops lead the fight against the Taliban.

They were among the first US forces sent to Afghanistan after the 2001 terror attacks in the United States. Several thousand were deployed in Helmand, an opium-producing region, where they engaged in bitter combat with the Taliban insurgency.

The administration of outgoing President Barack Obama had hoped to withdraw most US military forces from Afghanistan by now, leaving behind just a small force.

But the United States still has some 8,400 military personnel in the country, and is now returning the Marines to Helmand.

At the request of US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the US forces in Afghanistan, "approximately 300 Marines will deploy to Helmand Province Afghanistan in Spring 2017 in support of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission," a statement from the Marine Corps said.

The Marines "will train and advise key leaders within the Afghan National Army 215th Corps and the 505th Zone National Police," it added.

"Advising and assisting Afghan defense and security forces will assist in preserving gains made together with the Afghans."

The Afghan army and police are struggling in their struggle against a resurgent Taliban.

In early December General John Nicholson, the chief US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said that Kabul directly controls about 64 percent of the country´s population of 30 million, down slightly from 68 percent earlier in 2016.

He said that the Taliban have been especially active in Helmand province and are working opium with traffickers.

"There´s a nexus here between the insurgency and criminal networks that´s occurring in Helmand that makes Helmand such a difficult fight," he added.

Afghanistan is by far the world´s largest opium producer. The UN estimates 2016 production at 4,800 to 6,000 tons, up sharply from 3,300 tons in 2015, while cultivated areas have increased by 10 percent in one year.

 

[Hassan Guy]

who left in 2014 as NATO withdrew its forces and let Afghan troops lead the fight against the Taliban.

What happened to the Afghanistani troops?

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

The return of failure part 2

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/us-to-deploy-300-soldiers-in-helmand-province-02626


The United States will deploy around 300 soldiers in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, it has bee reported.

The troops will reportedly deployed by the US Marine to train, advise and assist the leaders of the Afghan National Army.

The decision by US Marines to deploy forces to Helmand comes as the province has been witnessing firece clashes during the recent months as the Taliban group attempted take control of the strategic parts Helmand as part of their deadly spring offensive.

Task Force Southwest, led by Brig Gen Roger Turner, “will train and advise key leaders within the Afghan National Army 215th Corps and the 505th Zone National Police,” a statement published by the corps on Friday read.

According to the Afghan officials, the Taliban group attempted to shift some of its leadership to Helmand BT seizing control of the strategic Lashkargah city and other key districts.

At least six Taliban leaders have left the Quetta city of Pakistan along with their family members and have shifted to Helmand province, Kandahar’s police chief General Abdul Raziq said late in the month of December last year.

Speaking in a gathering attended by elders and Ulemas of 10 provinces, Gen. Raziq said some of the Taliban leaders who were looking to leave Quetta have been arrested and jailed by the Pakistani military.

Gen. Raziq further added that there are no reports regarding the fate of the family members of the Taliban group leaders who have been jailed.

Helmand, Afghanistan

 

[TMA]

It seems like ANA is on the backfoot.

 

[Hindustani78]

The United States will deploy at least 1,500 soldiers from the Ready First Brigade to Afghanistan, it has been reported.

The soldiers will serve for a period of 9 months as part of the advise, assist, and train mission to help the Afghan army and police.

With 300 already deployed to Afghanistan, the deployment of the remaining soldiers will start this month with the brigade expected to take up the mission in mid-February.

“For many soldiers, it will be their first deployment,” Strong, from Syracuse, N.Y. told The Stars and Stripes newspaper. “They are very excited. Honestly, it is what a lot join the military for – to serve and defend the nation.”

Before their deployment to Afghanistan, the soldiers have gone on three rotations to combat training centers during that time – to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., in June 2015 and October-November 2016 and to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., in January 2016.

The brigade and its battalions also did extensive gated train-ups leading up to all of those rotations.

“As in any train-up, you’ve been training and you’ve been training, and it gets to the point where you are ready to go and do what you’ve been training so hard to do,” Strong said.

 

[Rasengan]

@A-Team I thought the great Afghan Army could handle the Taliban How does it feel to be outplayed by Pakistan.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/300-us-marines-to-train-afghan-forces-at-battalion-level-in-helmand-02793
Around 300 US Marines are preparing for deployment to the restive southern Helmand province of Afghanistan in a bid to train the Afghan forces at the battalion-level, it has been reported.

The US Marines will also advise and assist the Afghan forces at the brigade and division level.

The training will include marksmanship, indirect fire and small-unit tactics.

Maj. Kendra N. Motz, spokeswoman for the task force, quoted by The Marine Corps Times, said the roughly 300 Marines will make up Task Force Southwest, and will train Afghans at the battalion-level while advising and assisting at the brigade and division level.

Motz further added “As they train at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, ahead of their deployment, the Marines are familiarizing themselves with Russian-made weapons, including the AK-47, PKM, DShK and RPG-7.”

Col. Matthew Reid, Task Force Southwest’s deputy commander, said task force consists of experienced, senior Marines, many of whom have deployed to Afghanistan before.

“Make no mistake: Though we are no longer in a combat role in Afghanistan, it is still a combat environment,” Reid said. “As Marines, we train and deploy with a combat mindset.”

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/nato-reaffirm...lebrates-national-day-of-defense-forces-02992

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) led Resolute Support Mission reaffirmed continued support to Afghanistan and the Afghan national defense and security forces.

The commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission and US forces commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson reaffirmed the commitment by issuing a statement as the country marked its first national day of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

“On ANDSF day we remember the many Afghan security forces who have been martyred or injured for their country,” Gen. Nicholson said.

He added that Resolute Support trains, advises, and assists Afghan forces so they can protect their country.

Gen. Nicholson further added “Those Afghans are our valuable friends and partners. Afghanistan can be proud of her sons and daughters who serve in uniform.”

“NATO is committed to a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Afghanistan and is committed to Afghanistan because we know we have enduring partners in the Government, security forces and people,” he added.

A ceremony was organized in Kabul today to mark the first national day of the security and defense forces, attended by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and other high level government officials.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/us-forces-vow-to-work-with-afghan-forces-to-target-enemies-of-peace-02302

The US forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A) has vowed to continue to their work with the Afghan forces to target the enemies of peace and prosperity of Afghanistan.
The US forces reaffirmed the support in statement issued to confirm the death of the top Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Salam.

“As part of an operation with Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, United States Forces conducted a strike that killed Mullah Salam, the Taliban commander for Kunduz. Salam was killed along with four other enemy combatants in an operation targeting the insurgent group in Kunduz province, Feb. 26. No civilians were hurt or killed in this strike,” the statement said.

According to USFOR-A, Salam was responsible for immeasurable suffering among the population of Kunduz. Salam and Taliban forces attacked civilians and other non-combatants and destroyed bridges and key infrastructure despite claims that they would protect civilians and property.

“Mullah Salam and the Taliban fighters under him murdered and terrorized the people of Kunduz for too long,” said Gen. John Nicholson, commander, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan. “Salam’s death is an opportunity for change. The people of Afghanistan want peace and the Government of Afghanistan is committed to achieving peace through reconciliation. The Taliban know the only path forward is reconciliation.”

The statement further added that the strike was conducted under U.S. authorities as part of a larger ANDSF operation. “The United States maintains a robust partnership with Afghanistan and we recognize the sacrifices made on behalf of the Afghan military in their continued fight against the Taliban and other terrorist groups.”

“USFOR-A will continue to work with our Afghan partners to carry out its mission and target those who are enemies of a peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan,” the statement added.

 

[Hindustani78]

Bagram Air base

Battlespace Flight Services will provide a variety of support services to include maintenance and repair of the drones along with command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/us-drone-crash-near-bagram-no-casualties-reported-02326

A US unmanned aerial vehicle has crashed near Bagram in North of Afghanistan but no casualties were reported in the incident.

The NATO-led Resolute Support Mission confirmed the incident saying the drone malfunctioned overnight.

“A US unmanned aerial system malfunctioned overnight near Bagram Airfield. Forces recovered key parts of the vehicle. No casualties,” according to a Twitter post by the alliance.

The United States forces based in Afghanistan have stepped up airstrikes during the recent months, mainly involving unmanned aerial vehicle to target the anti-government armed militant groups.

The majority of the airstrikes are being conducted in eastern, southern, and southeastern parts of the country to suppress the insurgency activities of the militant groups

The US forces resumed counter-terrorism operations under a broader role granted by the Obama administration earlier last year.

The broader role was granted amid concerns that the insurgent groups, mainly the loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group are attempting to expand their foothold in Afghanistan.

Earlier, reports suggested that the ISIS loyalists are attempting to turn Nangarhar province into the regional operation base as they attempted to consolidate operations with the terror group in Iraq and Syria.

 

[BATMAN]

CPEC is obviously resonating far and deep.
Expect more terrorism in Pakistan in coming days, even more in Baluchistan.

 

[mingle]

CPEC is obviously resonating far and deep.
Expect more terrorism in Pakistan in coming days, even more in Baluchistan.

300 soldiers not gonna change anything on ground .

 

[Farooq]

where are the hanuman soldiers to help the charsi army?

hanuman can fight a two front war with China and Pakistan and it can't handle a simple encounter with a few rebels? LOL!