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Australians take over responsibility for Tarin Kowt base

28 July 2010, 10.26 hrs

With the handover of an AK-47, the standard weapon of the Afghan police force, Captain Evert Jan Kieft transfers command of the Police Mentoring Team (PMT) in Tarin Kowt to his American successor Captain King (right).On 24 July, the command of Base Command (Baseco), the unit in charge of day-to-day operations at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt (MBTK), was handed over to the Australians. They are now responsible for the security, accommodation, infrastructure and communications facilities, in other words for the welfare of all military personnel stationed in Uruzgan.

A day earlier, the command of the Police Mentoring Team (PMT) in Tarin Kowt was handed over to the Americans. The PMTs are responsible for building up and training the Afghan police force. 

The last Dutch rotation spent four months working on the further professionalisation of the Afghan National Police (ANP). The improved relations between civilians and the police have clearly made a difference in this respect. For instance, the ANP are finding roadside bombs more often and dealing with them effectively. This prevents a great deal of suffering among the civilian population in Uruzgan and results in a virtuous circle. 

The Tarin Kowt region is the last to have command of its PMT handed over. Earlier handovers took place in Chora and Deh Rawod. 

In progress

Australian military personnel take over the responsibility for Multinational Base Command Tarin Kowt from the Dutch troops who manned Base Command Tarin Kowt for four years. Photograph: Netherlands Ministry of Defence

Command of all forward posts and bases except Kamp Holland has now been transferred. Responsibility for the areas of Deh Rawod, Chora and Deh Rafshan West is also already in American and Australian hands. Due to the handover to Combined Taskforce Uruzgan, Base Command Tarin Kowt is now called Multinational Base Command Tarin Kowt. 


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