By NNN-APP
Washington : Commander of a US provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Nangahar province has reported significant progress in building local infrastructure and also expressed appreciation for cooperative efforts in ensuring security on the difficult Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Air Force Lt. Col. Gordon Phillips said the reconstruction team in Nangahar province, which shares a long border with Pakistan, has already completed 11 reconstruction projects worth about $800,000 and established key relationships with local leaders.
Answering questions at a Pentgaon videoconference, he said the Pakistani forces and security forces on the Afghan side meet on a regular basis, at least once a month and described the border flag meetings as very productive.
“We work very closely with the Pakistanis because it’s dependent on them and the Afghans working together to guard that border area. The border area is very rugged.”
In response to a question, he discounted the possibility of taking any counterterrorism operations into the Pakistani soil.
“Pakistan has a very extensive military, very capable military, and we will do operations only within Afghanistan and in complete cooperation with the people of Pakistan. But we do not intend to take any operations into Pakistan,” he stated when asked to comment on concerns about contention that terrorist elements could be chased into the other side of the border.
He said the “Afghan security forces are working very hard to employ additional forces to guard the very porous border, but we’ve had very good relations with the Afghan security forces throughout that extensive border with Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
On reconstruction efforts, the commander said the team, which has been on ground for four months, is making great strides in working with provincial and district leaders to build local infrastructure and capability.
Phillips said the PRT has seen “significant progress” in its time on the ground. “During our missions, we assess community needs and, in cooperation with the government, we build schools, government centers, roads, medical capability and other basic infrastructure projects using Afghan contractors and labor,” he said.
“We also provide economic development opportunities, many designed to aid women and disabled Afghans.”