Military

December 21, 2005
Release Number: 05-12-58


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


AFGHAN ARMY, POLICE SECURE SUCCESSFUL PARLIAMENTARY INAUGURATION

Story and photos by Air Force Master Sgt. Dawn Hart
Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan Public Affairs

KABUL , Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces secured the city of Kabul Dec. 19 as Afghanistan ’s first parliament in more than 35 years was sworn into office.
More than 6,500 Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan National Police officers worked together to provide security for the city of nearly 2 million and successfully ensured the safety of both dignitaries and citizens.
The ANA and ANP worked together in securing the high points of the city, routes used by the parliamentary delegation and areas surrounding the parliamentary building along with the Afghan Presidential Security Detail who secured the parliamentary building itself.
“It was a great team effort by the ANSF to secure an important moment in history for the Afghan people – the ANA and ANP working together for the good of the national security,” said Army Col. Thomas Pope, Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan chief of staff.
The ANSF demonstrated a very good capability to coordinate efforts between the Ministry of Defense’s National Military Command Center and the Ministry of the Interior’s National Command Center and the parliamentary command center.
The open sharing of information, teamwork and common mission focus led to the successful coordination of parliamentary inauguration security operations.
“Everyone within the Afghan National Security Forces worked together to make sure it went off well – from the ministerial-level down to the individual soldiers and policemen – just as they did during Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections in September,” said Pope.
Sept. 18 marked a historic date for the future of a democratic and free Afghanistan ; the day Afghans voted for the parliament’s 249-seat lower house, or Wolesi Jirga. The elected provincial councils then chose two-thirds of the 102-seat upper chamber, or Meshrano Jirga, while President Hamid Karzai appointed the remaining 34.
Opening the parliamentary inauguration, Karzai said, “This gathering represents the assumption of full sovereignty by the great people of Afghanistan … the main pillars of the state of Afghanistan as per the Constitution are now in place.”

PHOTOS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST OR ON THE CFC-A WEB SITE SOON
Suggested Cutlines: 051218-F-9999G-001: (National Command Center) KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police officers and Coalition forces set up the Ministry of the Interior’s National Command Center in Kabul on Dec. 19 in preparation for providing security for the inauguration of Afghanistan ’s first parliament in more than 35 years. (Photo by Air Force Col. Jorge Garza, Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan Police Reform Directorate)

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