International Security Assistance Force - ISAF

As of 6 August 2010, Regional Command North (RC-N) was operated by the German ISAF contigent. Regional Command East (RC-E) was controlled by forces from the United States. Regional Command South (RC-S) was led by British forces. Command of Regional Command West (RC-W) was controlled by the Italians. The capital region included the composite ISAF HQ, made up of members of all 47 contributing nations, as well as Regional Command Capital (RC-C), responsible for ISAF operations in and around Kabul, which was led by Turkish forces. In June 2010, a new Regional Command Southwest (RC-SW) had been created, under the control of the United States. The new command was tasked with operations in Helmand and Nimroz Provinces, while RC-S continued operations in Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, and Daykundi Provinces. In August 2010, the Dutch also ended their contribution to ISAF, beginning to redeploy back to the Netherlands after handing over responsibilities in RC-S to the United States.

In accordance with all the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, ISAF's main role was to assist the Afghan government in the establishment of a secure and stable environment. To this end, ISAF forces were conducting security and stability operations throughout the country together with the Afghan National Security Forces and were directly involved in the development of the Afghan National Army through the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A). NATO training efforts in Afghanistan were to focus on the need to significantly increase the capacity of Afghan security forces in order to hand over gradually lead responsibility for security to Afghans themselves. In Regional Command Capital, since 28 August 2008, the Afghan National Security Forces had gradually taken over the lead responsibility for security in Kabul province.

NOTES

1 - Total ISAF and other force numbers potentially include overlapping rotations and other operational fluctuation.

2 - The Air Task Force is headquartered at KAIA, but provides aircraft to dispresed locations throughtout the 5 Regional Commands. Aircraft might not be located at KAIA.

3 - This number includes ISAF Commands in Kabul (HQ ISAF, ISAF Joint Command, and the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan) not technically under the control of Region Command Capital

4 - These US units are detached from the rest of their parent organizations deployed to Afghanistan and attached to Combined Task Force Kandahar, led by the Canadians in RC(S).

5 - Mi-8s with Canada's JTF-A Air Wing were chartered with their crews and ground staff from Sky Link Aviation of Toronto.

6 - The locations indicated for these Combat Aviation Brigades represent the locations of the Brigade's headquarters. The units assigned to the brigade are dispersed throughout the areas of Afghanistan where the United States is engaged.

7 - 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment is detached from the rest of the Regiment to act as the lead element for Combined Team Uruzgan.

8 - The maneuver components of the Danish battle group are under the operational control of the British Task Force Helmand.

9 - Though headquartered in Khowst Province, Task Force Rakkasan has responsibilities in Paktiya and Paktika Provinces as well.