After 9/11/2001 and the war attack, through terrorist operations, against the United States of America (USA) in New York and Washington by Al-Qaeda, changes were triggered in the US foreign policy. Certain decisions were immediately taken at a national and collective level, with expressions like “preemptive war”, “war on terror” and “restoration of peace in Afghanistan”, becoming ordinary.

The North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (ΝΑΤΟ), for the first time in its history, activated Article 5, the provision of collective security, stating that these particular attacks constituted attacks against all NATO members. Consequently, NATO commenced its active engagement in the fight against terrorism and clearly supported the USA. Moving forward, the United Nations (UN), through decisions of the Security Council, supported the USA and gradually began their activation through resolutions for peace support missions and humanitarian aid.

On 7 October 2001, the USA and their Allies launched an offensive against Afghanistan, aiming for the dismantling of Al-Qaeda’s terrorist network and the overthrow of the Taliban regime, which governed the country while providing cover to the terrorists. The campaign was named Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

The Security Council, through a resolution, also authorised the establishment of an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which initially aimed to preserve peace in Afghanistan. In this framework, on 15 Jan 2002, Greece as a NATO member, upon decision of the Governmental Council on Foreign Affairs and Defence, authorised the deployment of Hellenic Forces in Afghanistan and particularly in the area of Kabul and its environs, based on the Bonn Agreement dated 5 Dec 2001 and the 1510 resolution of the UN Security Council.

The goal of the dispatch of the Hellenic Force to Afghanistan was:

• To assist in the effort of the Afghan government to rebuild and reorganise the country, providing humanitarian aid, executing works and providing aid for the benefit of society.

• To advance the level of cooperation of the Hellenic Armed Forces with the Armed Forces of the other countries which participated in ISAF (International Security Assistance Force).

• For our country to participate, once more, in the execution of the decision of the UN Security Council.

From 2002 to 2012 (year of withdrawal), 33 missions (3.295 members) participated in the formation of the Hellenic Force in Afghanistan and later of the Afghanistan Special Composite Battalion, with duration of stay from 3 to 6 months. While in Afghanistan, they executed construction – reconstruction works and improvement works on the infrastructures of the city of Kabul, as well as of the airport. Furthermore, they participated in the training of Afghan soldiers and the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The support provided by the 299 Hellenic Field Surgery Hospital, which deployed on 26 July 2005 in Kabul, is particularly noteworthy, from a medical standpoint, to the military personnel as well as to the afghan citizens.

#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy