Defence News

The Australian Defence Force and Defence Minister Stephen Smith have rejected claims that troops are being left exposed in Afghanistan.

The response follows an email quoted by News Limited allegedly from an Australian soldier serving in Afghanistan who suggested Australian troops fighting in the Battle of Derapet were given inadequate support.

The allegations aired in the media today centre around The Battle of Derapet – a three hour-long fire-fight between the 1st Mentoring Task Force and Taliban insurgents on August 24, 2010.

Lieutenant-General Mark Evans said claims Australians soldiers involved in the Battle of Derapet, which resulted in the death of Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, did not have adequate  air and artillery support were "wrong, not fully-informed and not helpful."

General Evans also said that the patrol unit involved in the Battle of Derapet, "did everything it had planned to do."

Suggestions that more troop numbers were required were also rejected with General Evans saying that the size of the Australian force in Afghanistan is "just about right at the moment" before adding he was comfortable with the task at hand.

It was a sentiment echoed by Defence Minister Stephen Smith speaking at Fleet Base West this afternoon.

"The consistent advice of the Chief of the Defence Force has been that the number of personnel that we have in Uruzgan province is appropriate and sufficient for the purpose of mentoring the Afghan National Army," Minister Smith said.

Claims that Australian troops in Afghanistan were not being provided with appropriate equipment were also refuted by General Evans, saying he believed it was "first class."

Minister Smith explained that force protection issues were constantly under scrutiny.

"On the basis of the advice that my predecessor [Senator John Faulkner] had and on the basis of the advice I have in terms of personnel and in terms of force protection these measures are appropriate for the circumstance of our objective and our mission in Afghanistan. But in terms of force protection these matters remain continually under review.

"Today will be a very tragic reminder to the MacKinney family of the very recent loss and funeral of Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney and so the publicity we've seen today will be a terrible and tragic reminder to the family and our hearts go out to them today."