French presence in Afghanistan
(19 August 2008)
In September 2008, France’s military presence in Afghanistan is scheduled to increase to 3,170 troops (including 2,540 present on Afghan soil), distributed as follows:
A/ 2,790 ISAF troops (4th-largest contributor), essentially:
1,350 troops in Kabul and ISAF headquarters;
290 troops in OMLTs (Operational Monitoring and Liaison Teams), deployed in the east and currently being deployed in the south (Uruzgan). Since 18 June, several of these OMLTs have been provisionally deployed in Kandahar in support of the ANA offensive in the Arghandab district;
700 troops in the east of the country, based in Kapisa: this is the reinforcement President Sarkozy announced in Bucharest;
450 men in our air capability (Operation Héraclès air). 3 Super Etendard Marines and 3 Mirage 2000 Ds operating from the Kandahar air base (where 170 French soliders are stationed). They are carrying out missions for the ISAF and OEF. The remainder of the air capability is based in Central Asia: in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) with 2 C160 tactical transport aircraft (250 troops) and Manas (Kyrgyzstan) with 1 C135 tanker aircraft (30 troops).
B/ 380 troops in OEF:
around 80 on Afghan territory including, inter alia, 40 instructors tasked with training Afghan officers and 26 training officers in the ANA Commando School.
292 troops in the force’s maritime component (TF150 and TF 57): 1 frigate, 1 escort vessel.
2 - The fighting on 18 June which cost the lives of 10 of our soldiers occurred in the Sarobi region, east of Kabul, in an area for which France has responsibility in her capacity as head of the Kabul Region’s rotating command, which she has held since 6 August having taken over from Italy. These were therefore not troops present on the ground as part of the reinforced deployment announced in Bucharest./.