All the members of the 17th Croatian contingent who will be deployed in the Regional Command North in Mazar-e Sharif and in the Regional Command in Kabul arrived on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, in the area of ISAF operation in Afghanistan, where they will assume duties of the previous Croatian contingent.
All the members of the 17th Croatian contingent who will be deployed in the Regional Command North in Mazar-e Sharif and in the Regional Command in Kabul arrived on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, in the area of ISAF operation in Afghanistan, where they will assume duties of the previous Croatian contingent.
On the occasion of the departure of the 17th contingent, a few days ago, a sent-off ceremony was held in the Pleso air base, which was also attended by Defence Minister Davor Bozinovic. When addressing the aligned members of the contingent, Minister Bozinovic stressed the special importance of this mission, as well as all the previous missions of ISAF have for the CAF and the Croatian membership in NATO. "The Afghan experience contributes to the process of transformation of our defence system, and gained experience contributed to the successful Croatian efforts to achieve NATO membership, through the adoption of the standards of the Alliance, but also sent a clear message that Croatia was ready to assume all obligations and responsibilities arising from NATO membership", Minister Bozinovic said.
The Armed Forces have been deployed in ISAF mission in Afghanistan since 2003, and thanks to its high level of training, readiness, professionalism and specialization have significantly contributed to the efforts of the international community to stabilize Afghanistan. About the success of all previous contingents of the Croatian Armed Forces who participated in the ISAF mission speak commendations and recognitions that CAF members got for their work, but also the fact that to date we had no losses among the members of the Croatian contingent.
Defence Minister particularly stressed the importance of the participation of the Croatian Armed Forces in international peacekeeping missions for the Croatia's foreign policy and the Croatian position in the international community. "Croatian military participation in international peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere, is one of the most effective means of our foreign policy, and such Croatian involvement in international peacekeeping missions in the future will remain one of the essential elements of our foreign and security policy", Minister Bozinovic said.
Members of the 17th HRVCON will take over duties from the previous Croatian contingent, such as duties of Military Police Task Force, Infantry Task Force, staff duties, duties in operational mentor liaison teams, in police operational mentor liaison teams (4 members of the Ministry of Interior), as mentors in the Military Police School and Logistics School in Kabul, and in air force mentoring team.
Together with members of the 4th Combined multination operational mentoring team, who are deployed in the area of Regional Command North in Mazar-e-Sharif, sent in February, 17 Croatian contingent will count a total of 330 members.
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