Big weapons find caps successful Afghanistan mission

After six months in the Afghan desert summer, the tenth rotation of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) will return to New Zealand this Sunday.

It has been a busy tour for the Kiwis, culminating in a substantial munitions haul while assisting with a United Nations Disarmament of Illegally Armed Groups (DIAG) operation earlier this month.

Three caches totalling more than six tonnes were recovered and destroyed in a remote village near the Shibar district.

The location was difficult to get to and the NZPRT were transported via coalition air support rather than traveling five hours by land.

NZPRT Senior National Officer Colonel Roger McElwain says that the operation was a major success.

“It was very satisfying for the team that their planning, coordination and effort for a combined operation in such a remote location went so well.”

The six month tour in Bamyan province has seen the Kiwi troops kept busy with building and road construction, education projects, explosive ordnance disposal, security patrols, training of Afghan National Police and providing aid and humanitarian assistance to the local people during their tour.

The projects are sometimes difficult and frustrating, but Colonel McElwain says that all the effort is worthwhile.

“Everything we have done here has been rewarding and very well received by the Bamyan people. In our time here we have realised that in this ancient land changes don’t occur overnight, but they do happen.

“While some of the work may not seem important to us at the time it is extremely significant to the local people. A new well is a small construction project but can provide clean water for hundreds of people over years to come.”

Sixty-one of the Kiwi troops will arrive at Ohakea Air Force base at 4pm on Sunday 28 October.