BRIEF

PRT in Herat Afghanistan

The International Security Assistance Force or ISAF extends support to Afghan’s Transitional Authority (ATA) through Provincial Reconstruction Teams or PRTs. Provincial Reconstruction Teams have operated in Afghanistan under the control of the US-led Coalition since Dec 2002. Each PRT has two central components, a military component for security and a civilian component for reconstruction.

The PRTs mission is to introduce a “measure of stability to their localities through patrolling, monitoring, influence and mediation, thereby facilitating the reconstruction efforts of other members of the International Community and allowing extension of the influence of the Government of Afghanistan.”

When CFR visited the Herat PRT with EUCOM Commander General James Jones USMC in March 2005, the expansion plan for the PRTs was broken out in four stages based on geography; north, west, south, and east.  With Stage 1 PRTs in the north operational, work had begun on Stage 2 PRTs in the west, including Herat.

The Herat PRT was under Italian lead at the time of our visit.  The Herat PRT is the west’s Stage 2 Regional Command and although under Italian lead at the time, was also supported by a German contingent of troops.  A Forward Support Base under Spanish lead also operated out of the Herat PRT with US, Lithuanian and Slovenian and Bulgarian troops supporting.

Hear more of General Jones' Interview