PRT N ( W )

Provincial Reconstruction Team North (West)

Organisation

The Provincial Reconstruction Team North (West) (PRT N(W)) is a multi-national organisation currently consisting of personnel from 11 different countries. The PRT is predominantly British and is commanded by Colonel Russell Beattie.

Sitting either side of him as part of the 'triumvirate' are British representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development. Critical to the mission is the Norwegian civilian police advisor, Per Dag Roed. The PRT Headquarters works from Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province with a smaller headquarter element exists in Maymana. (MM).

Logistical support comes from the Forward Support Base (FSB), situated on the airfield outside Mazar-e-Sharif.

Ground

The PRT N(W) covers a huge area somewhere in the region of 11,000 square km. This is an area equivalent in size to the country of Scotland. The PRT covers the Northern Region and is comprised of the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, Fayiab, Sari-Pul and Jowzjan. The PRT also has 3 countries bordering its area of responsibility.

Temperatures can plunge a low as - 40 degrees Celsius in the winter or as high as 50 degrees in the summer. Terrain varies vastly across the area of operation in which the PRT operates.

In the mountains of the northern Hindu Kush, a huge area is inaccessible during the winter due to the snow or rain. In the summer the plains and deserts further north are subject to dust or sand storms. Throughout the Northern region, the geography of the area means it can become extremely inhospitable.

The people

The make up of the people of the Northern Region of Afghanistan is highly complex. The main ethnic groupings are Uzbeks, Turkmens, Pashtuns, Hazaras and Tajiks. The main political groupings are Junbesh, Jamiat and Hez-e Wahdat thought there is limited correlation between political affiliation and ethnicity. The situation is further compounded by Afghan refugees returning from predominantly Iran and Pakistan and groups of Tajik refugees who came to Afghanistan.

Mission

To assist the Government of Afghanistan to extend its authority, in order to facilitate the development of a stable and secure environment with the area of operations, and through military presence, enable security sector reform and the reconstruction efforts.

Main effort

The Main effort of the PRT is the promotion of the police as legitimate protectors of the Afghan people.

Concept of Operations

There is a common misconception that the PRT is all about the physical reconstruction of Afghanistan. This is not the way we do business. Our concept of operations and development priorities are primarily concerned with;

  a. Government Institution Building and,

  b. Security Sector Reform.

Security Sector Reform is working on the development and reconstruction of the;

  a. Customs,

  b. Judiciary,

  c. Afghan National Army and,

  d. Afghan National Police.

By strengthening the security sector and the local government, the intent is to set the conditions that will allow further development and regeneration of the area. By having a secure and stable environment it means growth can take place. NGOs will have freedom to operate and people will be prepared to invest in the future.

Execution

The method the PRT N(W) does business in a very low key manner. The PRT tries to show a minimum possible display of force. The PRT has large offensive capabilities it can call upon if needed but adopts an approach with as small a footprint as possible. Transport is not large armoured vehicles with overt protection, it operates using civilian vehicles - attempting to normalise the situation as much as possible.

The PRT does not lead the way in making decisions. Members of the PRT will assist the Afghans by helping coordinate meetings, suggesting ideas and mediating between different parties. The work in the Northern Afghanistan is done by Afghans for the future of Afghans.

Funding is available to assist in Security Sector Reform projects. This money usually comes through either the British Department for International Development (DfiD), the Danish Development Advisor or the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the PRT team are political advisors from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, US Department of State and the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The majority of the PRT is however made up of soldiers. In each of the provinces are small Military Observation Teams (MOTs). Again their function isn't accurately reflected in their name. Their function is to work with and help enable the government authorities on a local level across all the districts in their area. The MOT teams often travel deep into remote areas where dissemination of information is often very difficult. During the winter access to these areas is commonly impossible.