Operation Toral - Afghanistan

Discuss current, historical or potential future deployments, as well the defence of the UK's overseas interests.
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The Armchair Soldier
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Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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Operation Toral was the codename for the British presence within Afghanistan post-2014 as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission. UK forces had two major tasks: training and mentoring Afghan Forces, and providing force protection for NATO advisors via the Kabul Security Force/Kabul Protection Unit.[1]

The operation drew to a close on 8 July 2021 with the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from the country. However, British troops were subsequently redeployed under Operation Pitting in August 2021 to evacuate British nationals and staff following the 2021 Taliban offensive.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Toral


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Re: Operation Toral

Post by The Armchair Soldier »

Not Op Toral, but since we don't have a Herrick thread, I thought I'd post it here.

Lance Corporal Michael Campbell Died From Wounds Sustained in Afghanistan
It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Lance Corporal Michael Campbell, from 3 Royal Welsh, who died in Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on Thursday 23 July 2015 from wounds sustained in Afghanistan in April 2012.
Read More: https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalitie ... fghanistan

Image

Rest in Peace.

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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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It is good that NATO is... as the central gvmnt obviously isn't? The Helmand Gvnr having to make a plea on facebook, to get the central gvmnt convene re: the new crisis.

From the above link:
"Nato's combat operations in Afghanistan are supposed to be over. But the Afghan security forces are hard-pressed and suffer deficiencies in a variety of areas from logistics to the lack of any significant air power of their own. The Taliban's advance - and not just in Helmand - has highlighted the weakness of the Afghan authorities too.
And now there is a new factor, with elements sympathetic to the so-called Islamic State also putting down roots. Many will argue Afghanistan was forgotten too quickly. Some fear the country could go the way of Syria."

Many would argue that it was the second time A-stan was forgotten too quickly. But in the end it was the fact that none of the Afghan presidential candidates saw it feasible (in light of getting elected) to commit to battle elements remaining in the country... they were offered by the US, though.
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

JayDee
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

Post by JayDee »

Gurkhas Prepare For Afghan Deployment

Gurkhas from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles are deploying to Kabul, Afghanistan as part of the UK’s enduring support to the Afghan Government.

Their mission is to protect NATO military and civilian advisers working in government ministries, as well as UK advisers based at the Afghan National Army Officers’ Academy.

The state-of-the-art vehicles will provide the best in protection whilst moving around the busy streets of Kabul.

The Gurkhas are out in Foxhounds on the STANTA ranges in Norfolk this week (8-12 Feb) practising for scenarios which they could face in Kabul, such as recovering a broken down vehicle, see some of the footage of them preparing for deployment in the video below.

http://forces.tv/35521516

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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Just read about the US casualties (1 dead, two wounded) on a Pawehawk CSAR mission, near Marjah), but spotted this ( a second instalment in the "use it or lose it" story about Helmand and Afghanistan objectives?):

http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/uk ... ghan-mess/

The use it or lose it quote source was probably paid off with a generous severance package (carrot) and the threat of losing the FCO pension (stick)... or do I just have a lively imagination?
- officially, no such thing was ever uttered
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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50 more troops to join the 450 already there:
Defence Secretary Welcomes Increased Support for Afghanistan
Michael Fallon has authorised an uplift to the UK’s enduring commitment to Afghanistan.

The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has authorised an uplift to the UK’s enduring commitment to Afghanistan. Around 50 extra personnel will deploy to Kabul in 2017, joining the 450 British troops already in country.

The troops, who will be deployed in non-combat roles, will contribute to on-going training and mentoring of Afghan forces, including at the UK-led Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA). Personnel will also advise the fledgling Afghan Air Force, which took delivery of five US Cayuse Warrior attack helicopters last month, and will work alongside NATO Allies as advisors in mission’s headquarters in Kabul and in the Afghan Security Ministries.
Read More: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defe ... fghanistan

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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Iraq/ Syria is coming under control (well, if you can call handing the region to Iran that) as there is a clear goal and POTUS has given the soldiers a free hand.

But he seems to be all at sea about Afghanistan:
" The president's advisers went into the mid-July meeting hoping he would sign off on an Afghanistan strategy after months of delays, officials said. One official said the president's team has coalesced around a strategy, though it had presented him with other options as well such as complete withdrawal.

Trump, however, appeared to have been significantly influenced by a meeting he'd recently had with a group of veterans of the Afghanistan war, and he was unhappy with the options presented to him.

Trump vented to his national security team that the veterans told him forces from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have not been helpful, and he lamented that China is making money off of Afghanistan's estimated $1 trillion in rare minerals while American troops are fighting the war, officials said. Trump expressed frustration that his advisers tasked with figuring out how the U.S. can help American businesses get rights to those minerals were moving too slowly, one official said.

China purchased mineral rights in Afghanistan a decade ago, an investment the U.S. supported at the time. Beijing has since had teams mining copper outside of Kabul. " nbc reporting, so can't be too wide off the mark
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

Yeah, we are protecting the bars in the capital,
but everyone else is there (for the mineral rights; that's the major powers), or
the others are "about" changing the "regional balance"
as that happens to be THE region they live in:
"The Long War Journal
Islamic State releases photos from Jowzjan battles with the Taliban
by Caleb Weiss, 8 hours ago
The photo-set is at least the second this month showing clashes with the Taliban in the Afghan north"
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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SKB
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

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(Forces TV) Uploaded 17 Aug 2018
When foreign combat troops left Helmand in 2014 security was handed over to Afghan forces. For the next few years they struggled to contain the Taliban and last April 300 US Marines were sent back to Afghanistan to help then with training. In Helmand, Marines are now helping the Afghan Army take on the Taliban.

(Forces TV) Uploaded 20 Aug 2018
It was once the largest British overseas military base on the planet, with around 114,000 personnel living and working at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan since April 2007. Now Forces News has been given special access to see what remains of a place that so many once called home.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

The coming presidential elections may bring more change than the ones in 2014, leaving the ops on the ground to be hunting the hardest of the hardcore?
https://thediplomat.com/2018/11/afghani ... elections/
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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SKB
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Re: Operation Toral - Afghanistan

Post by SKB »


(Forces TV) 25 July 2019
We take a tour around the Dog Section at Camp Qargha in Afghanistan. 104 Squadron Royal Veterinary Corps 1st Military Working Dog Regiment are playing a vital part in keeping British soldiers safe while on Op Toral, but downtime is equally important.

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