Qala-e-Naw, Afghanistan – The “BRIPAC” (Spanish Paratroopers Brigade) relieves the Spanish Legion on the lead of the mission that Spanish Army has been carrying out in the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), in Badghis province, for the last seven years.
Spanish Paratroopers return to Afghanistan and take the lead of the Spanish Provincial Reconstruction Team and International Security Force in Badghis Province. Source: NATO |
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Spanish Col. Demetrio Muñoz Garcia, Commander of the Legion Unit “Tercio Don Juan de Austria”, has handed over the command of ASPFOR (Spanish mission in Afghanistan) this morning to Spanish Col. Luis Cebrian Carbonell, second in command of the Paratrooper Brigade Almogávares VI. The change of command included a military parade, held at ‘Ruy González de Clavijo’ Base, in the town of Qala e Naw, provincial capital of the Spanish- responsibility province of Badghis.
The event was chaired by the Deputy Head of the NATO Joint Command in Afghanistan (IJC), and also Spanish Head, Division Gen. Javier Taberné. Among other attendees were the head of Regional Command West, Italian Brig. Gen. Luigi Chiapperini, Mr. Jam Arman, Governor of the province, and the commanding general of the 207-soldier Afghan National Army 3rd Brigade.
The security transition continues in the province of Badghis, as two districts have just been handed over to the Afghan government, Qala i Naw and Ab Kamari.
The Spanish Paratrooper Brigade (BRIPAC) begins their mission with a lot of experience performing duties in Afghanistan, as it is the fifth time serving in the country, having gone through Mazar e Sharif, Kabul, Herat and Qala i Naw.
Col. Cebrian stressed in his speech, “We will continue from the beginning, consistent to the commitment of Spain, within ISAF, to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in its effort to establish a legitimate state authority and to protect the population in the province of Badghis”.
The event ended with the signing of the official books, and the fraternal embrace between both heads of contingent, the incoming one and the relieved one, embarking on a plane that took them home to Spain.
NTM‑A is a coalition of 37 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014.
Source:
Allied Command Operations
NATO