A Battlefield Tourist

Afghan National Army Moves Into Garmser

Aug 27 at 3:03pm by David Tate

For the past several weeks, Afghan National Army infantry soldiers have begun moving into Helmand’s volatile Garmser district, some five months after US Marines took control of the district center, according to Marine spokesperson Captain Kelly Frushour. 

The move ends speculation over the ability of coalition forces to replace the Marines once their mission is complete.  The infantry soldiers join elements of an Afghan commando unit and an artillery kandak already deployed to the area.  The Afghans will work alongside British forces following the Marines’ departure.

The Marines, members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), have been in Afghanistan since March and are due to leave in November.  The 2,200 members of the unit have already been extended 30 additional days.  The 24th MEU’s mission makes it a “surge” force that was considered a one time deal with no plans for an American replacement unit.

By the last major engagement on May 30, the Marines had been involved in more than 200 firefights including, at one time, 35 straight days of combat.  The succesful operation forced most of the insurgents further south allowing the Marines to begin employing a second tier of their mission:  Rebuilding.

“I don’t see them as phases (moving from a fighting force to a humanitarian/security force), said the MEU’s commanding officer Col. Pete Petronzio.  “I think of them as a circle that runs continuously.  We’re constantly clearing, constantly holding and constantly rebuilding.”

In June, the unit’s overall mission was reevaluated.  Instead of being ordered into other Taliban-infested regions, it was decided that the Marines would stay in Garmser to facilitate the transfer of security duties to the Afghans themselves.  That part of the mission includes reconstruction as well as additional civil projects and the training of local security forces, particularly the Afghan National Border Police (ANBP).

Strategically important, Garmser was used by insurgent forces as a command and control hub.  Because of its geography, Garmser was vital to the infiltration of weapons and fighters into south central Afghanistan, especially northern Helmand and Uruzgan Provinces.