NA

NATO
ATO
O
briefi
ng
NATO-led
ISAF

OCTOBER 2003

Ultimate
aim

Working to bring peace

and stability to Afghanistan
ATO has assumed a leadership role in providing security in

and around Kabul in Afghanistan, in what is the Alliances

first mission beyond the Euro-Atlantic area.

A milestone
in NATOs
development

This groundbreaking operation demon-

NATO

strates NATOs resolve and ability to

International

address new security challenges and

Force

take on new missions and is clearly of

force tasked with helping provide

benefit to all involved: to Afghanistan

security in and around Kabul, on

and its people, the United Nations and

11 August 2003. According to ISAFs

the wider international community, and

operational commander, General Sir

the NATO nations and their Partners.

Jack Deverell, this step was a mile-

formally

took

Security

(ISAF),

N ATO

BRIEFING

OCTOBER 2003

over

the

Assistance
UN-mandated

Jen

Celinograd

Semipalatinsk

is e j

Ust'-Kamenogorsk

K azakh

M t Belukha
4.506 m

Karaganda

Steppe

L. Zajsan

development

This sequential approach to com-

representing a real break from the

manding ISAF achieved impres-

NATO of the past to an Alliance

sive results on the ground but was

which is more relevant and has

hampered by a lack of continuity.

greater utility in the uncertain secu-

It put great pressure on lead nations

rity environment of the future.

who carried responsibility for ISAFs

stone

in

NATOs

L. Balkhash

ASCHABAD

Samarkand

Herat

H I N D U
nd

Helma

n
ta
a

nd

Sukkur

us

G reat
I ndian
D esert

Ajmer

Bra

st
m

Delhi
NEW DELHI
Jaipur
Agra

Karachi

K an chenjunga
8.598 m
THIMPHU

Ganges

Kanpu

DHAKA
Howrah
Calcutta

a ri

d av

Go

Pune

Hyderabad

G
te

rn

ISAF was created by UN Secu-

generation as well as the provision of

rity Council Resolution 1386 of 20

essential

December 2001 to assist the recently

such as intelligence and commu-

formed Afghan Transitional Authority

nications. And, since lead nations

in the maintenance of security in

were only prepared to carry such

Kabul and its surrounding areas so

responsibility for six-month periods,

that the Transitional Authority and

there was no let-up in the quest to

UN personnel could operate in a

identify new lead nations.

Siliguri

Luc

Bombay

strategic direction, planning and force

Lhasa

Multan

Jodhpur
)

T i b e t

Sutlej

Y am a
un

u b '

K h
A l -

AU

Jullundur

Amritsar
Lahore

Range

al

b
ja

Al

ULA

Tsaid
Ba

M uztag
7.723 m

Jammu
Kashm

lum
J he

ABU ZABY
(Abu Dhabi)

K irthar
Range

K2
8.611

IN

Srinagar
Rawalpindi

Quetta M an

la

ISLAMABAD

Sulai

is

Qeshm

Gulf

m ir

SH
K U

Qandabar

AD-DAWHAH
(Doha)

Peshawar

KABOL

Z ereh
pre ssion Rige stan

AN

DUSANBE

Turfan
D epre ssi

-154 m

N
I E
Ta

hhad

Communi sm
Peak
7.495 m

ha

operational

capabilities,

Khulna
Chittagong

ts

Vi h kh

NATOs enhanced role

overcomes the problem
of a continual search
every six months for
a new lead nation

secure enviroment. Troop-contributing

nations

were

additionally

NATO

called

first

became

involved

in

upon to help the Transitional Author-

ISAF in response to a request from

ity set up new Afghan security and

Germany and the Netherlands for

armed forces. In effect, a three-way

support in the planning and execution

partnership was established between

of ISAF III. The Alliances assumption

the

ISAF

of the strategic command, control and

and the United Nations Assistance

coordination of the entire mission is,

Mission

lead

therefore, a logical continuation of

Afghanistan out of three decades

this process. NATOs enhanced role

of turmoil through a state-building

overcomes the problem of a continual

process

search every six months for a new

Transitional

in

Authority,

Afghanistan

to

more

to

peaceful

lead nation. Moreover, the creation

and prosperous future.

of a permanent ISAF headquarters

NATO nations have at all times

adds stability, increases continuity

contributed more than 90 per cent

and enables smaller countries, which

of ISAFs troops. The mission was

find it difficult to act as lead nations,

initially led by the United Kingdom,

to play a stronger role within a multi-

then

national structure.

between

June

2002

and

January 2003 by Turkey and between

February and August 2003 jointly
by Germany and the Netherlands.
2

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NATO-led ISAF
he NATO-led ISAF will continue to use the same banner and

operate according to current and future UN resolutions.

The current mandate limits ISAF operations to Kabul and the

surrounding areas. Any extension of the ISAF mandate would
require a UN Security Council resolution and, since NATO now
exercises the leadership of ISAF, a decision by the North Atlantic
Council (NAC), the Alliances highest decision-making body. To
strengthen international support for the Transitional Authority,
NATO has started considering whether and how ISAFs mandate
might be expanded.

More than
30 countries are
contributing some
5,500 troops
to ISAF

The NAC will provide political direc-

on AFNORTHs subordinate commands

tion to ISAF, in close consultation with

and, in particular in the first instance,

non-NATO

troop-contributing

on the Joint Command Centre in

well-established

Heidelberg, Germany, which has pro-

practice derived from the experience

vided German Lieutenant-General Gtz

of the Alliances peacekeeping op-

Gliemeroth to be the first NATO ISAF

erations in the former Yugoslavia.

Force Commander.

nations,

ISAF
following

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers,

Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium,

More than 30 countries are contribu-

will assume the strategic responsi-

ting some 5,500 troops to ISAF. In

bility of operation headquarters and

addition, the ISAF Force Commander

host the ISAF international coordina-

in Kabul has access to the vast pool of

tion cell, while Headquarters, Allied

staff expertise available in Heidelberg,

Forces North Europe (AFNORTH) in

Brunssum and Mons. Through this

Brunssum, the Netherlands, will act as

reach-back capability, he will be able

the operational-level Joint Force Com-

to draw on specialised assets in such

mand headquarters between SHAPE

areas as strategic planning without

and ISAF headquarters in Kabul.

having to deploy them into Afghanistan.

NATO is providing a composite head-

As a result, without requiring a larger

quarters to form the permanent core

force on the ground and with only a

of the ISAF headquarters. This draws

small NATO footprint in Kabul, ISAF

3

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Krasnovodsk
vodskk

Erbil

Iraq

Usu

ALMA-

Cimkent
mk

Turkmenistan

Sea

Urmqi

AFGHANISTAN

BA
BAG
AGHDAD

Karbala'
ala'

Uzbekistan
n

Al Ma
Mawsil

Q (Damascus
cuus)

TEHRAN
Qo
Qom

An Najaff

Ruoqiangg

Area: 650,000 km2

Dezful
Rafha'

I r a

Ahvaz

Al-Basrah
ah

Abadan

Kuwait
Kuw
uw
wait

Land boundaries:
China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

A
AL-KUWAYT
WAYTT

Ad-Dammam

P
Pe
Persian
n
A
AL-MANAMAH

Al-Hufuf

Qatar

u
a

d
b

i
i

AD
D-DAWHAH
D
((Doha)

Gulf

ABU ZAB
(Abu Dha
ha

Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%,
Minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen,
Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%

T i

Ba
B
Bahrain
n

AR-RIYAD

Kerma

SShiraz
hira
ra

Busheeh
ehr
Buraydah

Population: approx. 28 million (June 2003)

Qeshm
eshm

Bandar-e 'Abb

Oma
man
ma
n
r
Matrah

Gulf
Oma
man

Jodhpur

Jaipur

Agra

Luckno
kn

ANDU
DU

will have an enhanced capability to

time in its history and embarked on a

plan and conduct operations.

comprehensive reform process to ensure that the Alliance was as equipped

Although NATO has extensive peace-

to deal with the security threats of the

keeping experience on which to draw

21st century as it had been in the last.

as a result of its operations in Bosnia

At their Reykjavik meeting in May

and Herzegovina, Kosovo and the for-

2002, NATO foreign ministers decided

(1)

mer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ,

that: NATO must be able to field forces

taking command of ISAF represents a

that can move quickly to wherever they

new departure for the Alliance. It is,

are needed, sustain operations over

however, a natural manifestation of the

distance and time, and achieve their

Alliances transformation agenda and

objectives.

a demonstration of member states

effectively paved the way for the Alli-

resolve to meet new security chal-

ance to move beyond the Euro-Atlantic

lenges.

area, including to Afghanistan. The

This

seminal

decision

Alliances Prague Summit of NovemIn the wake of the terrorist attacks

ber 2002 put in place the programmes

against the United States of 11 Septem-

necessary to give the Alliance the

ber 2001, NATO invoked Article 5, its

capabilities required to take on new

collective defence provision for the first

and potentially far-away missions.

(1) Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia

with its constitutional name.

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NATO must
be able to field
forces that can
move quickly

Ultimate aim

ATOs ultimate aim in Afghanistan is to help establish the

conditions in which Afghanistan enjoys a representative

government and self-sustaining peace and security. ISAF has

already contributed to the progressive development of national
Afghan institutions, notably by helping train the first units of the
new Afghan National Army and national police.

Lord Robertson:
The sooner were
not necessary in
Afghanistan, the better,
but we are now part
and parcel of the
countrys future

Now, ISAF and the Afghan National

mission by creating a climate of uncer-

Army routinely conduct joint patrols

tainty. The drug trade, organised crime

in the streets of Kabul, projecting a

and the poor state of local infrastruc-

positive image of teamwork and part-

ture remain longer-term challenges for

nership. In addition, hundreds of civil-

Afghanistan and the international com-

military projects involving ISAF are

munity working to rebuild the country.

under way in the areas of local administration, infrastructure reconstruction,

While the task of rebuilding Afghanistan

rehabilitation of schools and medical

is primarily one for the Afghans them-

facilities, restoration of

the water

selves, NATO can help create through

supply, health, eduction, and agricultural

ISAF the stability that is a pre-requisite

technical assistance, instilling a new

for successful reconstruction. In the

sense of hope among the civilian popu-

words of NATO Secretary General

lation in and around Kabul.

Lord Robertson: NATO does not take

on operations to fail. NATO has to suc-

Great challenges, nevertheless, remain.

ceed and were determined to succeed.

The terrorist threat to ISAF is a major

The sooner were not necessary in

source of concern. Moreover, persistent

Afghanistan, the better, but we are now

Taliban and al-Qaida activity in southern

part and parcel of the countrys future.

and south-eastern Afghanistan and

factional in-fighting in the countrys
For more information on ISAF, see
www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan/index.htm

northern provinces undermine ISAFs

5

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The International Security Assistance

and UN personnel could operate in a

Force (ISAF) has a peace-enforcement

secure environment.

mandate under Chapter VII of the UN

ISAF
International
Security
Assistance
Force

Afghanistan
after
the Taliban

Charter. It was created in accordance

ISAF

with the Bonn Conference of December

reliable security structures; identifying

2001 at which Afghan opposition

reconstruction needs; and training

leaders gathered to begin the process

and building up future Afghan security

of reconstructing their country. Its tasks

forces. Three UN Security Council

are detailed in a Military Technical

Resolutions, 1386, 1413 and 1444,

Agreement of January 2002 between

relate to ISAF, but it is not a UN force.

the ISAF Commander and the Afghan

Rather, it is a coalition of the willing

Transitional Authority. These include

deployed under the authority of the

assisting

the

UN Security Council, supported and

Authority

in

Afghan
the

Transitional

maintenance

also

assists

in

developing

now led by NATO and financed by the

of

troop-contributing nations.

security in Kabul and its surrounding

areas so that the Transitional Authority

In the wake of the ouster of the Taliban,

In December 2001, Afghan opposition

Afghanistan was one of the poorest

leaders met in Bonn to set up a new

countries in the world as a result of more

government structure for their country,

than two decades of fighting, repressive

specifically the Afghan Transitional

rule and the aftermath of war. Since

Authority. In June 2002 a national

the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in

Loya Jirga, a grand council specific to

1979, more than two million Afghans

Afghanistan, took place giving the

are estimated to have been killed and

Transitional Authority 18 months in

many times that number wounded

which to hold a national Loya Jirga to

or maimed for life. Afghanistan is the

adopt a constitution and 24 months in

most heavily mined country in the

which to hold national elections.

world with an estimated five to seven

million land mines and 750,000 pieces

The Loya Jirga is scheduled for

of unexploded ordnance. According

December 2003 and national elections

to the UN Development Programme,

for June 2004. The international com-

70 per cent of Afghanistans 22 million

munity pledged $4.7 billion for the

inhabitants are malnourished and life

first three years of reconstruction at a

expectancy is 40. The World Bank

donors conference in Tokyo in January

estimates annual per capita GDP to be

2002 to be administered by the World

about $200.

Bank.

NATO Briefings address topical Alliance issues. They are published under the authority of the Secretary General and do not necessarily reflect official
opinion or policy of member governments or of NATO.
NATO Public Diplomacy Division, 1110 Brussels - Belgium, web site: www.nato.int, e-mail:natodoc@hq.nato.int

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