Provincial reconstruction team

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Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is an administrative unit of international aid to Afghanistan, consisting of a small operating base from which a group of sixty to more than one thousand civilians and military specialists work to perform small reconstruction projects or provide security for others involved in aid and reconstruction work.

Within these PRTs there are typically 3-5 civilians and the remainder is made up of military forces. PRTs are backed by national and international security forces. PRTs were originally built and operated by US forces as means of facilitating reconstruction efforts in provinces outside the capital, Kabul. Following NATO involvement in Afghanistan, the command of the PRTs was transferred from the US forces to the forces of the nations under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Contents 1 Structure 2 Locations and activities 2.1 PRTs as of January 2006 2.2 PRTs as of October 2006 3 Regional Command North 3.1 PRT Mazari Sharif 3.2 PRT Kunduz 3.3 PRT Maymana 3.4 PRT Fayzabad 3.5 PRT Puli Khumri/Baghlan 4 Regional Command West 4.1 PRT Herat 4.2 PRT Chaghcharan 4.3 PRT Farah 4.4 PRT Qala-e-Naw 5 Regional Command South 5.1 PRT Kandahar 5.2 PRT Tarin Kowt 5.3 PRT Qalat 5.4 PRT Lashkar Gah 6 Regional Command East/Combined Joint Task Force 76(US led) 6.1 PRT Asadabad 6.2 PRT Bamyan 6.3 PRT Gardez 6.4 PRT Ghazni 6.5 PRT Jalalabad 6.6 PRT Khowst 6.7 PRT Nuristan 6.8 PRT Metherlam 6.9 PRT Bagram 6.10 PRT Sharana 6.11 PRT Panjshir 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Structure

A PRT includes a military component (Civil Affairs/Force Protection), aid agencies (such as USAID), civilian contractors (such as KBR), and civilian police advisors. The U.S. Department of State is the lead civilian agency within the PRTs, additionally, the United States Departments of Agriculture (FAS and USDA), Commerce (FCS), Health and Human Services (CDC), Justice (DOJ lawyers and FBI) and Transportation (FAA) have representatives working at the PRTs to assist in their respective areas.

Since October 5, 2006, the PRT's are part of the NATO-led ISAF mission. At the next chapters we will try to give an account of the development of the PRT's and their activities.

[edit] Locations and activities

Throughout the main stages of the ISAF operation the number of PRTs was growing. At this chapter we will try to give an impression of the development and activities of the teams.

[edit] PRTs as of January 2006

PRT's in Afghan cities (and the lead nation - as of January 2006):

ISAF PRT's: Baghlan (Netherlands, later Hungary since October 2006), Chaghcharan (Lithuania), Farah (US), Fayzabad (Germany, together with the help of Denmark), Herat (Italy), Kunduz (Germany), Mazari Sharif (UK, then Denmark/Sweden, then Germany), Maymana (UK, then Norway), Qala-e Naw (Spain)

Combined Joint Task Force 76's PRT's: Asadabad (US), Bamyan (New Zealand's Task Group Crib), Gardez (US), Ghazni (US), Jalalabad (US), Kandahar (Canada), Khowst (US), Lashkar Gah (US), Mehtarlam (US), Parwan (US/South Korea), Qalat (US), Sharana (US), Tarin Kowt (Netherlands; Task Force Uruzgan, together with troops from Australia)

Canadian forces provide similar services under the name Civil-Military Co-operation.

Since the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force took over command of the whole of the country at October, 5, 2006, the number of PRT's is 24. There are 5 regional command centres, which the PRTs report to:

[edit] PRTs as of October 2006

• Regional Command Capital, Kabul (none)

[edit] Regional Command North

The HQ is at Mazari Sharif, and is led by Germany. There are 5 PRTs underneath it.

[edit] PRT Mazari Sharif

Led by Sweden.

[edit] PRT Kunduz

At October 2003, the German “Bundeswehr” took over command from the United States of the PRT at Kunduz [1]. Germany is assisted by the Belgium-Luxemburg contribution to ISAF

[edit] PRT Maymana

The PRT at Maymana, the capital of Faryab province, was first led by the UK, then Norway.

[edit] PRT Fayzabad

The PRT at Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, is led by Germany, with the help of Denmark and the Czech Republic.

[edit] PRT Puli Khumri/Baghlan

At October, 1, 2006, Hungary took over responsibility, from the Dutch, for the Provincial Reconstruction Team at the town Pul-e Khumri (Puli Khumri), the capital of Baghlan province.

[edit] Regional Command West

The HQ is at Herat and is led by Italy. There are currently 4 PRTs underneath it.

[edit] PRT Herat

The PRT at Herat is led by Italy. At November 2006, government officials and the Herat PRT facilitated the donation of 12,000 fruit trees to local farmers. [2]

[edit] PRT Chaghcharan

Led by Lithuania. On 6 November, 2006, the Lithuanian-led Team in Chaghcharan, Ghowr Province, assisted with the setting up of the only kindergarten in the area [3].

[edit] PRT Farah

Led by the US.

[edit] PRT Qala-e-Naw

The PRT at Qala i Naw, the capital of Badghis province, is led by Spain.

[edit] Regional Command South

At July, 31, 2006, the NATO-led ISAF mission assumed also command over the South of Afghanistan. The HQ is at Kandahar. At November, 1, 2006, the Dutch took over command from Canada. There are 4 PRTs underneath it.

[edit] PRT Kandahar

The team is led by Canada from their base Camp Nathan Smith at Kandahar City.

[edit] PRT Tarin Kowt

The PRT at Tarin Kowt, Task Force Uruzgan with their main base Kamp Holland, is led by the Netherlands together with the help of troops from Australia. The task of the Dutch ISAF-contribution is to provide security together with the Afghan National Army and police in the area, to do reconstruction work, and to train the Afghan National Police.

[edit] PRT Qalat

The PRT at Qalat, the capital of Zabul province, is led by the US, together with the help of Romania.

[edit] PRT Lashkar Gah

Led by the UK, with the help of Denmark and Estonia. Their main base is (Camp Bastion).

[edit] Regional Command East/Combined Joint Task Force 76(US led)

Since October, 5, 2006, ISAF assumed also command of the PRTs at the east of the country. The HQ is at Bagram and led by the U.S.

[edit] PRT Asadabad

The PRT at Asadabad, the capital of Kunar province, is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Bamyan

Led by the New Zealand's Task Group Crib.

[edit] PRT Gardez

The PRT at Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Ghazni

Led by the US.

[edit] PRT Jalalabad

The PRT at Jalalabad, the capital of Nangahar province, is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Khowst

The PRT at Khowst, the capital of Khowst province (Khost province), is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Nuristan

Led by the US, Kamdesh Civil Military Operations Centre (CMOC), is an extension of the Kamdesh Provincial Reconstruction Team and provides reconstruction and development assistance to the people of Nuristan.

[edit] PRT Metherlam

The team at Metherlem, the capital of Laghman province, is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Bagram

The team at Bagram, at Parvan province, is led by the US. The Bagram PRT has embedded engineering members from the Republic of Korea. This joint effort within the team is unique among the PRT's.

[edit] PRT Sharana

The PRT at Sharana, the capital of Paktika province, is led by the US.

[edit] PRT Panjshir

New U.S. led PRT, includes former US/South Korea Parwan PRT.

[edit] See also

• Afghanistan
• International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
• Afghanistan War order of battle
• Taliban
• Task Force Uruzgan

[edit] External links

• Provincial Reconstruction Teams - Global Security
• Provincial Reconstruction Teams - US State Department
• Provincial Reconstruction Teams - UK Foreign Office
• Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Humanitarian–Military Relations in Afghanistan - Save the Children
• Provincial Reconstruction Teams - Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan (Photo Albums)
• The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: Lessons Identified U.S. Institute of Peace report, October 2005
• Oral Histories Project on Stability Operations Interviews with Americans who served in Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace
• Canada's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar Province
• News about Canadian Forces in Kandahar, via MILNEWS.ca