SECURITY FOR DEVELOPMENT

Beginning of the operation
The first group of soldiers was sent to the region of the mission on 16 March 2002 in response to invitation to participate in International Security Assistance Force. Its tasks was first of all mine cleaning, protecting the airport in Kabul, building roads bridges and other elements of infrastructure necessary for ISAF activity. Altogether there were about 300 soldiers from following units:
- 1st Sapper Brigade (Brzeg)
- 10th Logistic Brigade (Opole)
- 4th Chemical Regiment (Brodnica)
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (Puławy)
- Special unit GROM
- “Rear Admiral Xawery Czernicki” ship

Polish Military Contingent Afghanistan had been modified soon and from mid-2002 it consisted of 120 soldiers. Tasks performed by the contingent till mid-2007 were basically engineering activities.

Current situation in Afghanistan
Operation in Afghanistan is one of the biggest challenges The Polish Armed Forces faced within years. The cultural, civilization and climate conditions of the area of the mission are completely different from European realities. The situation in Afghanistan is still unstable. In spite of significant progress made in the field of politics, the security level of Afghan provinces is still unsatisfactory. The insurgents renewed their military activity in the south and east of the country and they are trying to get their political influence back. The internal conflicts revived, the popularity of president Hamid Karzaj in rural areas is going down. Local, tribal leaders, often connected with narcotics trade have more and more power.
The terrorist activity of Taliban insurgents, especially Gulbuddin Hekmatjar’s radical fraction Hizb–i–Islami as well as some groups of Al-Qaida still remain the main source of military threat in Afghanistan. Criminal organizations and so called “drug lords” are another source of danger. There are about 1800 illegal military groups in Afghanistan, that number 70 000 fighters altogether. Besides terrorists there are “private” armed forces of the drug lords and regional leaders, that also fight against coalition forces. It is worth mentioning that terrorist organizations are prepared for carrying out attacks on the territory of the whole country. The activity of military groups in Afghanistan concentrates along the main transport routes and key positions of coalition forces and ANSF.

Polish Military Contingent within ISAF
The ISAF mission in Afghanistan is a stabilization operation conducted in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1386, dated 20th December 2001, Resolution 1510, dated 13th October 2003, 1563, dated 17th September 2004, 1623, dated 13th September 2005 and Resolution 1707, dated 13th September 2006 as well as Bonn Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-Establishment of Permanent Government Institutions, dated 5th December 2001.

Polish Military Contingent numbers over 2600 soldiers, cooperating with soldiers from 47 other countries. The ISAF forces number over 130 000 soldiers altogether.

General information
The organization of Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan had changed in November 2008. Polish Task Force White Eagle were created and as one of Combat Groups within Regional Command East they took over responsibility for Ghazni province.  
Polish contingent is deployed in five bases:
• Ghazni
• Warrior
• Giro
• Vulcan
• Qarabagh
and in Bagram AFB.

Tasks
- securing areas where reconstruction work is conducted, within Polish Task Force area of responsibility
- securing the Afghan Development Zone in Ghazni province
- controlling situation on the main transport line Kabul-Kandahar
- training Afghan armed forces and police

For more information you can reach to resources available at:    
http://www.isaf.wp.mil.pl/en/12.html and http://www.do.wp.mil.pl/.