Full Marks for Security

Szöveg: HDF MAT-2 | 2014. április 25. 9:00

The first round of the presidential election in Afghanistan has been completed successfully. The important mission of the second rotation of the HDF Military Advisory Team (HDF MAT-2) went exactly as planned – as a result of several weeks spent with planning, preparation and arrangements, the partner units of the MAT, namely the 3rd Brigade of the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) and the 5th Zone Afghan Border Police (ABP), effectively provided a secure environment for the election.

The greatest success of the event is that more than 7 million people have cast their ballots, which is much higher than the predicted turnout. Through the hard work of the last few months, the ISAF-mentored Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have managed to create a security situation in which citizens were safe to go to the polling stations to vote. There has been a sea change since 2010, a year when several Afghan districts were not accessible for voters. The volume of the task is shown by the fact that around 6,200 polling stations have been set up around the huge country.

The first round of the presidential election in Afghanistan was supported, among others, by the soldiers serving with the second rotation of the HDF Military Advisory Team

Weeks before election day, the delivery of ballot papers started, even to the farthest districts. During the operations, some minor ambushes were carried out on the convoys transporting the ballot papers and on the polling stations on election day, but the ANSF were able to handle all these incidents without civilian losses. The insurgents were unable to orchestrate any full-scale attacks. All leaders of ISAF and the ANSF said the successes are highly significant, but also drew attention to the highly probable second round of the election, and the insurgents’ continuing fighting season.

Since the arrival of the MAT-2, its personnel have been preparing for the election as their main task. Based on assessments received from the first rotation, the contingent immediately commenced or continued developing critical defence capabilities in the two partner units, so they gave instruction, among other things, in counter-improvised explosive devices (C-IED) on basic and intermediate levels, self- and buddy-aid for first responders, mortar training, weapons training as well as INFOOPS and logistic system concept.

The Hungarian soldiers conducted target practice during the run-up to the election

In addition to preparing the partners, the contingent also focused on its own training, so it conducted a driving exercise and a target practice during the run-up to the elections.

The second rotation of the HDF Military Advisory Team has been deployed in Afghanistan for five months now, operating first from Camp Mike Spann and then, after relocation, from Camp Marmal base. The contingent – which consists of two advisory groups and a close protection team – is supported with state-of-the-art equipment available to the land force units of the Hungarian Defence Forces.