Agreement Reached with Karzai - Special Forces to Depart Nerkh District, Wardak Province

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Karzi government have completed negotiations over the ordered departure by Karzai of Special Forces from Wardak Province, Afghanistan. It seems there will be a phased withdrawal of Special Forces from the province. According to recent news reports the first SF team to depart will be the one stationed in Nerkh district. The SF operational detachment or SFODA has been working in a Village Stability Operations (VSO) mission; part of which is training and working with the Afghan Local Police (ALP). Some members of the Nerkh ALP were once members of the now defunct Afghan Public Protection Program or APPP (read more on APPP).

Nerkh district, Wardak province



Other Special Forces detachments will remain in Wardak according to some news sources. It is likely that the U.S. SFODA in Nerkh district will be replaced with an Afghan National Army Special Forces (ANASF) detachment. The ANASF detachments mirror the mission of the U.S. SFODA's - with less capability and training. The ANASF does have the advantage of language and cultural expertise. To read more about the Special Forces team departure from Nerkh district read "U.S., Afghans make deal on Wardak troop pullout", Army Times, March 20, 2013.