Number 80 | November 3, 2009
On November 1, Turkey has assumed the Regional Command Capital of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul for the third time. The Turkish force presence in Afghanistan will be increased to 1,700 and the Turkish command will oversee forces by Albania, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Georgia. Turkey also operates the Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Wardak Province.
Turkey’s contributions to Afghanistan have focused on military and civil capacity building, as well as humanitarian assistance.
Turkish forces are undertaking training for Afghan forces and since the program’s beginning in 2001, Turkish forces have trained nearly 8500 Afghan forces.
In addition to military training, Turkey has provided training to over 1000 Afghan civil servants and Afghan police officers through training programs in Turkey. Under Turkey’s reconstruction and humanitarian assistance program for Afghanistan, Turkey has built or renovated four hospitals, seven health clinics and two mobile clinics, serving nearly one millions Afghans. In support of education for Afghan children, Turkey has built or renovated and furnished 41 elementary and secondary schools, benefitting nearly 56,000 students. Turkey is also paving 62 miles of roads around Kabul and has opened 166 water wells that served over half a million Afghans. In 2008 only, Turkey provided over 755 tons of emergency food assistance to Afghanistan.