Media Room: Media Releases

MSPA 330/09                                                                      Wednesday, 07 October 2009

JOINT AFGHAN-AUSTRALIAN OPERATION SUPPORTS SECURITY IN ORUZGAN

A joint Afghan National Army, Australian Defence Force, Dutch and US operation has responded to a call from Afghan locals to remove the threat posed by Taliban insurgents from the Mirabad area, located east of Tarin Kowt.

A combined force was successfully air-lifted by helicopter into the region in a major air mobile operation on the 25^th of September with ground operations commencing immediately. The operation is progressing well with the discovery of several improvised explosive devices and weapons caches.

Called Operation ‘Baz Panje’, meaning ‘Falcon’s Talon’, the operation is seen as a critical step in spreading the coalition’s influence into the area by building a new patrol base.

The Commanding Officer of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force-2, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Connolly, said the Mirabad area has had a limited security presence over the last few years.

“This is a method of expanding the Afghan Development Zone from Tarin Kowt out to the east. This is how ISAF works its counter insurgency operation by expanding this bubble of security to the east so that we can expand development and reconstruction efforts also in the east,” said Lieutenant Colonel Connolly.

The launch of Operation Baz Panje has been greatly assisted through the work of the Australian Special Operations Task Group and its partner forces, including the Afghan National Security Forces, through the conduct of a series of coordinated operations in the area.

“The Mirabad Valley is a place that has been dominated by the Taliban insurgency for the past seven years and in fact the young people in the valley have become used to having no legitimate governance structure over them instead being dominated by the insurgency,” he said.

Alongside their Afghan Army colleagues, the Australian soldiers and other coalition forces have spent weeks planning the operation before carrying out detailed air insertion rehearsals in the days leading up to the operation.

Lieutenant Colonel Connolly said the ongoing operation also marked the growing capability of the Afghan National Army’s 4^th Brigade.

“It’s extremely important because it allows us to expand the area of operations of the 4th Brigade of the Afghan National Army and in doing so, it will allow the new infantry battalion, the 3rd Kandak, to establish itself in a new area, spreading security  out to the east of Tarin Kowt through the Mirabad Valley,” said Lieutenant Colonel Connolly.

“They’ve seen a lot of fleeting visits by the coalition forces and what they need to see now is a persistent presence, particularly from the Afghan National Security Forces.”

After the forces were air-lifted in, a series of meetings with key local leaders were held to understand local issues and help build stronger relationships. At the same time, soldiers began securing the area from insurgent influence.

“What we’ll see during the operation is clearance of the Mirabad Valley, the establishment of a secure position by Australian and Afghan forces and then the building of a significant patrol base which will allow the 3rd Kandak to establish itself in that area,” said Lieutenant Colonel Connolly.

“In the future, the Afghan Kandak that is established in the Mirabad Valley will be mentored by Australian Forces, so from our perspective we have a lot of interest in making sure the valley is properly cleared, that it’s properly secured and that the best standard of facility is established there for Australians and Afghans to work together side by side in the future,” he said.

Media note

Imagery is available at:

http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/global/opslipper/images/gallery/2009/1007/index.htm

Vision will be fed to Parliament House this afternoon.

Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664