Regional Command South

Regional Command (South) is a multinational military formation, part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. It is responsible for provincial reconstruction and security in Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Qalat and Tarin Kowt. The Command also has responsibility for the provinces of Nimruz and Daykundi. It's Afghan National Army partners are the 205th Corps (Afghanistan) and the newly forming 215th Corps (Afghanistan). NATO countries contributing troops are Canada, France, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Non-NATO countries contributing troops are Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Command

The command of the region previously rotated between Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, but has most recently been assumed solely by the United States. The headquarters is located in Kandahar.

• 28 February 2006: Canadian Brigadier-General David Fraser assumed Command of Regional Command South.
• 1 November 2006: Dutch Major-General Ton van Loon led Regional Command South in Afghanistan for a six months period. [1]
• 1 May 2007: British Major-General Jacko Page
• 1 February 2008: Canadian Major-General Marc Lessard took command for a nine-month period.
• 1 November 2008: the Dutch Major-General Mart de Kruif took command of this region.
• 1 November 2009: British Major General Nick Carter took command.^[1] At this time, 6 (UK) Division, reorganised as Combined Joint Task Force 6, took over the headquarters function for the period of the British rotation. On 14 June 2010, RC(S) was split to create RC(S) and RC(SW). RC(SW) assumed control of the Helmand and Nimroz provinces.
• 1 November 2010: USA Major General James L. Terry, Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division, assumes command of Regional Command South. Headquarters 10th Mountain Division (LI) became HQ Combined Joint Task Force 10 for the deployment.
• 1 October 2011 USA Major General James L. Huggins, Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division, assumes command of Regional Command South.

Major units

Regional Command (South) comprises approximately 35,000 personnel, as of 6 October 2008.^[2] Its subordinate units and formations include:

• HQ RC(S) at Kandahar Airfield in Kandahar Province (Netherlands)
• Forward Support Base Kandahar (Multinational)
• Army Aviation assets from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division are currently the main aviation effort in Regional Command - South.
• Task Force Helmand (U.K. forces in central and northeast Helmand Province). TFH is currently provided by 11th Light Brigade.
• Task Force Leatherneck (U.S. Marines in southern and western Helmand Province)^[3]
• Task Force Kandahar (Canadian Forces in Kandahar City and western Kandahar Province)
  • PRT Kandahar in Kandahar City (Canada) [2]
  • About 800 U.S soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment from Fort Carson, were as of June 2009 under the operational control of the Commander, Task Force Kandahar. The 1-12 Infantry was declared ready for operations since 18 June 2009, and assumed responsibility for Maywand District.^[4]
• Task Force Stryker (U.S. forces in the remainder of Kandahar Province. U.S. and Romanian Forces in Zabul Province) The Task Force is built around 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.^[5]
  • PRT Zabul in Qalat, Zabul Province (USA, Romania)^[6]
• Task Force Uruzgan (Dutch Armed Forces headquartered at Kamp Holland in Uruzgan Province)
  • PRT Uruzgan in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province (Netherlands, Australia) [3]
• PRT Helmand in Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province (UK, Denmark, Estonia) [4]

Units of the U.S. Army Special Forces, part of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, have operated across the southern provinces, including in Zabul Province, but do not fall under the command of RC South.^[7]

Estonia announced that they would temporarily deploy a infantry company of up to 140 men to Afghanistan to assist Afghanistan’s police and army in providing security during the elections on 20 August. The infantry company was scheduled to be stationed in Helmand Province from 1 July to 1 December 2009.^[8]

Notes

1. ^ UK Ministry of Defence
2. ^ ISAF source stored on www.archive.org International Security Assistance Force
3. ^ U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd MEB
4. ^ Will the war in Afghanistan bring down NATO?
5. ^ United States Army, President orders 12,000 soldiers and marines to Afghanistan
6. ^ United States Army, PRT Zabul Helps Reconnect Afghans, September 2009
7. ^ http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2008/September/SP-080916-01.html
8. ^ Estonian Ministry of Defence homepage

External links

• ISAF Regional Command (South)