Showing posts with label Slovakia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slovakia. Show all posts

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Slovak Republic in Afghanistan

The Slovak Republic has maintained a constant presence in Afghanistan. It started in 2002 when the country sent a 40-member engineer airfield construction platoon to Bagram Air Field. Later the country sent a demining unit to the Kabul International Airport. Those two units were then combined into the Multifunctional Engineer Unit and posted to the Kabul airport. The unit was then sent to Kandahar Air Field where it stayed until the end of 2012. In addition to these engineer units the Slovak Republic has also fielded personnel to Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), medical teams, Force Protection Units, OMLTs, EOD teams, and a Special Operations Tactics Unit (SOTU). Read more in "Slovak Republic: An ISAF Legacy", ISAF News, December 10, 2014.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Slovak Land Force Ends Mission in Kandahar

The Slovak contingent operating in Kandahar has ended its mission in September, 2014. The Slovak element had a two-fold mission: base defense and advising an Afghan army kandak. The base defense mission involved the guarding of entry control points where vehicles and visitors were searched as they entered and left Kandahar Air Field (KAF). In addition, the Slovak unit fielded the Security Force Assistance Advisory Team (SFAAT) that trained, advised, and assisted the 4th Kandak, 2nd Mobile Strike Force of the Afghan National Army (ANA). The Mobile Strike Force or MSF had a unique mission and was designed to rapidly deploy wherever needed. Read the entire story in "Slovak Land Force ends mission in Kandahar", DVIDS, September 24, 2014.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Slovakia's 5th Special Forces Regiment in Afghanistan

Slovakia has been a firm ally of the ISAF forces in Afghanistan. The country recently sent more advisors in January 2014 to continue the advisory mission. A contingent from the Slovak 5th Special Forces Regiment arrived to work on Camp Moorehead near Kabul, Afghanistan. The Slovakian soldiers are part of Commando - Special Operations Advisory Group where they will train and advise Afghan special operations soldiers. The regiment is based in Zilina, Slovakia and is directly attached to the Slovak Armed Forces General Staff. It has a strength of 400 personnel (a far fewer number are deployed to Camp Moorehead). The unit regularly train with the 10th Special Forces Group (with a forward battalion located in Stuttgart, Germany). (Photo by MSG Michael Carden, CJSOTF-A; photo of newly arrived Slovak special operations advisors at Camp Moorehead).

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Slovakia to Advise Mobile Strike Force (MSF)

57 more troops from Slovakia arrived in January 2014 to bolster the Afghanistan mission. Most of the soldiers will work in a Security Force Assistance role as advisors. Some of the 57 will be assigned to the Special Operation Advisory Group (SOAG) and the remainder will form a Mobile Strike Force Security Forces Advisory Team (MSF SFAT). The MSF SFAT will provide advice and assistance to the Mobile Strike Force - a rapid deployment quick reaction force comprised of two brigades and several kandaks. In addition, a five-man medical team will work at the international military hospital at the Kabul airport. Read more in "Slovakia sends 57 more soldiers to Afghanistan", The Slovak Spectator, January 9, 2014.