NATO in Afghanistan till 2015 (merged thread)

[davidbfpo]

Listening to a BBC Radio yesterday a former Kabul correspondent referred to the exit of the Norwegian contingent from a northern province - Faryab (RC-North), after nine years and the apparent increase in local Taliban activity.

I had not seen any reporting here that Norway had left.

A quick search found they left in October 2012, with nine deaths:http://www.newsinenglish.no/2012/09/...istan-pullout/

A small presence remains (97 persons), probably a PRT and those in Kabul:http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbe...rway/index.php

Given the closeness of the Nordic nations on many foreign policy matters I note both Denmark and Sweden have remained, with battalion-sized contingents - in RC-N and RC-SW respectively.

[davidbfpo]

Sadly I missed the end of the Danish combat role, but a Danish contact explained this week what happened. The Danes have been fighting for twelve years, largely in Helmand - alongside and under UK command, until the 22nd July 2013:

The dozen years in Afghanistan cost the lives of 43 Danish soldiers and resulted in total costs of approximately 15 billion kroner. An additional 211 soldiers were injured in Afghanistan....Although the last combat troops have now left Afghanistan, a number of Danish defence personnel will remain in the country in order to train the Afghan police force and to man special units and tanks.

Link:http://cphpost.dk/international/comb...ghanistan-over

The Danish exit contrary to political expectations is due to the UK's draw down:

Camp Price, where the Danish soldiers are stationed, is run by the British and will be closed down in August, prompting an early return for the Danish soldiers.

Link:http://cphpost.dk/international/denm...hanistan-early