Press briefing on Operation Moshtarak

(TRANSLATION THROUGHOUT)

CARMEN ROMERO (NATO Deputy Spokesperson): Well I think now we can start...

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY (ISAF Spokesperson): Sure nice to see you.

CARMEN ROMERO: Good afternoon, Kabul from Brussels. Colleagues, thank you for coming. Last week, you already got a short briefing on Operation Moshtarak in Central Helmand province. And today, I have the pleasure to introduce to you General Azimi who is the spokesman of the Afghan Ministry of Defence; Zemerai Bashary, the spokesman of the Afghan Ministry of Interior and someone who you know very well our ISAF spokesman Brigadier General Tremblay. And we're going to provide you an overall short operational briefing. And I think you will have a chance to ask questions on issues that you cannot follow from the field. So please Eric you have the floor.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: Well, let me first give the opportunity to my Afghan colleagues to speak first. After all, the current operation in Central Helmand is Afghan led and their views from that perspective are paramount. And we're pleased to be here. And here we go. General Azimi?

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: First time ever after a year, there is a big joint operation of Afghan National Forces and ISAF in the most unsecured area of Helmand province which is Marjah. And currently we are clearing houses and clearing the land from the IEDs and mines.

They put deployments of the Afghan National Security Forces in lead in this operation. And actually, the other good news is that there was no casualties in this operation except one mistake where a missile mistakenly hit a house. And there was a civilian casualty. But on time, the ISAF, General McCrystal and Afghan National Security Forces they pass their condolences, regrets about this incident. Thank you

ZEMERAI BASHARY (Spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Interior): You can hear us.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: Yes.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening. My name is Zemerai Bashary. I am the spokesman and director of media for the Afghan Interior Ministry. It's such a pleasure to be around colleagues here and to be talking to you. As General Azimi stated, I will also from my position... from the Interior Ministry side, will add that this is an important operation, not only from the security perspective but in the meantime a good assurance for the people of Afghanistan that now the government will clean those areas where the insurgents are present and where there are no education, and yet there are wealthy projects for the people of Afghanistan.

If you may focus mainly on what has been done after now, the operation is going smoothly and the security forces, the giant security forces are heading forward. The plan was that after a month the police will be deployed. But that plan was changed. And today, our ANCOP forces which stands for Afghan National Civil Order Police were deployed both in Marjah District and Nad Ali District. And they have taken their positions in both districts which is a good sign.

And these ANCOP police forces are one of the best forces that we have in hand currently. And that's because they're getting a long period of training which is four months training. So the importance of the issue is that they will definitely gain the hearts and minds of the people and will pave a good ground for other projects of the Operation like building the schools; building clinics; building bridges and so forth that are destroyed during the fighting period. Thank you I will let the floor for General Tremblay. And afterwards, if you have some specific questions I will definitely be at your service. Thank you

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: Operation Moshtarak is an Afghan-led joint operation. The current military phase has been designed collaboratively both by the Afghan and the ISAF military but also key leaders of Central Helmand.

The stabilization phase under the leadership of the provincial government and Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team will deliver the Governor's District Delivery Plan. In perspective, the delivery of that program is the decisive phase of this operation and the most important part.

As mentioned many times by General McCrystal, the Afghans are the decisive terrain. We jointly must deliver security but also accept that all governments and development in order to convince the Afghans that we deserve their support. We can't win without the Afghans. But our action must first win them over.

The growth of the Afghan National Security Force is critical for the long-term security of Afghanistan. The current operation on the ground between the Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF delivered effectiveness. And we are certainly observing this partnership on the ground in Central Helmand.

Similarly, ISAF personnel partnered with the Afghan National Security Force delivers cultural understanding. Our relationship has matured over time and we're building trust and confidence at all levels and are moving together in Moshtarak to deliver better security, enhanced government and provide sustainable development for all Afghans.

Let me conclude by saying that thESE decisive operations will led to many other Afghan led operation that will demonstrate the will, commitment and effort of the Afghan leadership to make a difference for their people.

ISAF soldiers are proud to support our Afghan National Security Forces colleagues and the Afghan government in their initiative to make life better for their citizens. Carmen, you're show please.

CARMEN ROMERO: Thank you. I think Reuters has different question please, David.

Q: Yes, this is for General Tremblay and General Azimi. I wonder if you could tell what percentage of the targeted area you're seeking to secure has already been secured in this operation so far.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: Mostly, it has been cleared. There is some corners and some places with some individuals. Basically, there is right now searching of the house and looking for the mine and IEDs. There is not any particular resistance from the insurgents. Jointly, the Afghan National Forces and ISAF are working to clear the area.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: I would just like to add that most of the objectives that we had planned to secure have been secured and we are now consolidating and linking up those objectives to ensure greater freedom of manoeuvre and movements; but also ensuring that the last pockets in mostly in the western part of Marjah are being cleared as we move forward.

Now, this being said, it's an ongoing process as some insurgents will come back and try to further inflict casualties either on the Afghans, the Afghan National Security Forces or International Forces. But we will be ready.

CARMEN ROMERO: Question?

Q: Gianni Del Rey from Italian News Agency, International. Just a question for General Tremblay. The Taliban are saying that actually if journalists were allowed to see the full fledge of the operations they would get a less optimistic image.

I'm not on the ground so I can't judge. I will only want to ask you: Is it true that journalists don’t have full access? And is it true that it's not really possible for the press to have a full image of the situation? Thank you.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: Well, I cannot stop any journalist to accept the invitation of the insurgents in Marjah. But let me tell you that we have an extensive embedding program as part of the Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF. And there are journalists on the ground with ISAF and Afghan Forces and who are clearly in the position to report.

Perhaps, the pocket that I was mentioning, still in the western side of Marjah still gives some freedom of manoeuvre to the local Taliban commander. But that is about the extent of their freedom on the Western side. Bashary?

ZEMERAI BASHARY: I will fully agree with General Tremblay. Before the commencement of the operation we were working on a very detailed and comprehensive plan to get a very good and paved ground for the journalists to join and be embedded to the forces that are involved in the operation.

From my perspective and based on the plan that we have on hand, we have a great number of media outlets and journalists embedded to the forces that are involved in the operation. And we've also plan to have journalists after the operation when the police forces are deployed.

As a matter of fact, we deployed our police forces today, this morning. So there is an opportunity for the journalists to be embedded with the police as well to see how they hold the areas after the operation which is the most... an important issue for the Afghans and for the security forces of Afghanistan.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: As far as I know, around 40 Afghan and international journalists are there. And they have been... They're already. And according to my information, tomorrow, probably they will have access to go to Marjah to make stories and photos, but the only problem with the Afghan helicopter cannot land in the ground at the moment, therefore they're far away.

Q: Yes, Slobo Lekic from the Associated Press. A question for Mr. Bashary. You said that police units were deployed to Marjah today. Can you tell me how many policemen were sent to these two districts and how many do you plan in the future? Thank you.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Indeed we have a very good plan for the deployment of the Afghan National Police in those two districts. Now we have 900 Afghan National Civil Order Police that were sent from outside Helmand to Helmand province to be deployed, meaning two districts that are currently under operation Nad Ali and Marjah districts.

Beside that, there are 200 other police that were sent from the centre to join the ANCOP and help them during the deployment phase. This is the current plan. That we have 1100 extra police beside the existing police in Helmand.

As a matter of fact, we did not have police presence in Marjah. But we did have police in Nad Ali. We have 400 local Helmand police in Nad Ali District right now. This is the current plan.

And the future plan is that we will have 1 600 police deployed in these two districts of Helmand I mean Nad Ali and Marjah. We have started the training process and currently we have 400 police under training to be sent to Marjah. And more will be followed actually. We will definitely get to the number of 1 600 police. These will be all trained police and will be equipped. But till that time, the ANCOP police will be responsible to take care of the security and law enforcement in those two districts, mainly in Marjah.

Q: Good afternoon, evening, Martinez de Rituerto, with El País from Spain. A couple of questions. General Tremblay, you have said that the two objectives have already been reached. Which are these two objectives? And one question that is intriguing our readers is why the Alliance or the ISAF make such a big announcement about the launching of your operation with so many weeks in advance? And what have been the results of this announcing of the operation? Has it been positive? Or you have realized that you have made some kind of mistakes? Are you happy? Are you going to announce every time that you are going to do anything? Particularly, for this operation, with this one, for how long do you plan to keep it going? Thank you.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: You are absolutely right. The Afghan National Security Forces, the Afghan government and ISAF have made it quite clear and if you want telegraph the fact over the last few months that central Helmand was the location of the next major operation in order to deliver governance and development and make a difference for the Afghans.

You have to remember that General McCrystal in close partnership with President Karzai has at heart the protection of the Afghan civilians. In order to ensure that you best separate the insurgents from the population, we made quite clear what the intention of the Afghan government and the Afghan national security forces were which was to conduct a major operation to increase security for the Afghans at the local level, but more importantly to deliver a government in a box solution in terms of district delivery programs that would from a socio-economical development perspective will offer long-term sustainable development in Nad Ali and Marjah. That is the decisive phase.

On your second question dealing with the objectives. As opposed to take it from an outside line of operation moving in, we've taken both districts through an inside or internal line of operation perspective by inserting a major air assault operation straight in the middle, if you want, of the defensive system, therefore avoiding most of the improvised explosive devices who were laid down either on bridges, on main roads, in cover by some other complex systems in order to inflict casualties to the Afghan National Security Forces or ISAF. So by conducting such an operation we were able to get and reach the core of their defensive position and to clear from the inside towards the outside.

And therefore approaching it from a very different perspective, we have cleared most of those objectives, minus the one that I did mention on the western side of Marjah. We are now consolidating. And we will keep clearing as the insurgents are trying one way or the other - either through bunkers that we had not identified or through defensive positions and compound that we have yet to find- to clear the improvised explosive devices of those... or those major minefields who have been laid down across Marjah and Nad Ali and who are causing casualties among the Afghans.

We are collaborating extensively with ICRC in order to ensure that the extraction of insurgents who have been injured is enabled in order to respect the laws of our conflict; ensure that proper due care and medical treatment is offered to all belligerents in those areas.

Q: Fukushima for Mainichi Japanese Daily Newspaper. Unfortunately despite the strict guidelines introduced by General McCrystal there was severe casualties in this operation. Could you tell me the psychological impact to the local public opinion about this incident. And secondly, are there any concern that the Taliban insurgents may return and regain the field after finishing the major phase of this operation? Thank you very much.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF are trying their best to avoid any civilian casualties. But unfortunately during the fight in war, there's casualties happening. And meanwhile we are really cautious and we are taking care of every operation to avoid these casualties but during the war, in fighting (inaudible).

GENERAL ZEMERAI BASHARY: Let me say that you pointed a very important issue. There could be a perception that would there be enough force to protect and hold these areas once they are cleared. Because in the past, we have some examples that when an area was cleaned then for that little or small number of police was too difficult to hold them back. But I'll give an example if you are 500 ANA conducting an operation somewhere and cleaning that specific area, then it would be difficult for 50 police to hold it back because the insurgents would flee and they would retreat. And after the armed forces are leaving the areas then they will return back and overwhelm that 50 police.

With this operation there is a great change. And the change is that after these two districts are completely cleared there will be a great number of police forces; trained police forces deployed to hold the areas and enhance the police capabilities in those areas; build outposts; built district centres and gain the support of the people so that people can help the police in the field of security and law enforcement.

Now, these 1,200 extra police added to the 400 existing police in Nad Ali which is a total number of 1,500 police will be mainly deployed into these two districts. And the increased focus will be on Marjah. Because we did not have a presence in Marjah in the past.

So I think that we will hold the areas. And we're not concerned that the police force will not have the ability to keep and hold the areas because we have a great number of police forces. And these ANCOP are a force that has received a fair training. And they can fight back and resist toward the attacks of the enemies.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: Among the Taliban there are different groups. For instance, some people are fighting for money, some people are fighting from fear. Some people come under the propaganda and some are the drug mafias there. So when we are clearing the area for the insurgents we separate these groups from Taliban. And meanwhile, each house have to give one person for the Taliban militia to serve for them and when the area cleared, so we will take this chances as well from them.

The second biggest thing, which is the Marjah have is the drug production. So if we clear the Marjah financially we will weaken the Taliban and that way they will not allowed to be functionable. And there are another kind of people who are living under the Taliban, or with Taliban, who are eager to come to join the Afghan government, but because Taliban have the influence they cannot come back. But once we clear the area those people will come and join the Afghan government free and without care.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: I'd like to add that what we've seen over the last few months and specifically with the major offensive that we have done with the Afghan National Security Forces back in June, with Op Khanjar and also Panther's Claw, was the fact that as we move forward clear, hold and are currently building the observation is that as you are delivering alternatives such as better education, better health, better opportunities, either social or better governance, less corruption, what we're seeing is that the Afghans at the local level are engaging in the risky behaviours in terms of denying the insurgents' ability to come back, because they don't want to lose what they have acquired, either better irrigation, better education, better health services, which is far more than what they had when they were under the insurgents' dogma and within those specific districts.

So the expectation is, and it's certainly part of the stabilization plan as you offer alternatives, that the Afghans at the local level will appreciate better essential services and better governance, but also enhance security, and will move on with risk behaviours and we've already seen the early signs on the ground of Afghans informing the Afghan National Security Forces of the presence of foreign fighters or groups of insurgents in specific compounds, location of bunkers, because they want them out.

Because right from the start their tribal elders and their leaders, their mullahs, they're the influential leaders at the local level, were part, because it is Afghan-led, they were part of the discussion that has led the president of Afghanistan to take the decision to launch the operation in order to deliver the population from the presence of the insurgents, who may offer quick justice, but frankly, always under the influence, the intimidations and the threat of assault by themselves.

Q: Financial Times Germany. A question about the Taliban, how... the Taliban warriors, how did they react? Did they flee before you arrived, before you really started with this major offensive, or have you captured a lot of them or what happened to these Taliban warriors and to the majority of them? Are there just a few of them in Marjah and has the majority fled already or do you capture a lot? What happened? Could you just maybe give us some figures or some idea about what has happened to them?

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: There were around a 1,000 of Taliban insurgents in the area, but after the operation, as you heard from the news, some of them have been killed and some has captured and some other has flew instead and some put their gun down and they're hiding among the local population. And some they skipped to Farah, Nimroz and the north and the west of Helmand province.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Well, the operation was mainly conducted to extend and expand the rule of law and the deployment of the Afghan National Security Forces which would be a force to ensure that law enforcement is being done and the constitution of Afghanistan is being implemented in those areas. That was the main object and the main goal here. The main goal was not to kill people and to kill the Taliban mainly. The operation is definitely is cleaning operation to clean the area from threats and from the existing insurgents, but beside that there was a focus to provide security, safety and rule of law for the people because the people were harassed in those areas. They were being intimidated by Taliban. They were being taxed illegally by the name of the (inaudible...) and so forth and they were not mutually provided their rights, the rights that they deserve. Their hospitals, their schools were closed and this is something that the people of Afghanistan, mainly the people of Helmand because they're looking to the other provinces of Afghanistan that they have all those rights and facilities and resources in their hands, but they don't. So they were definitely welcoming the force and the operation was conducted to provide all these benefits for the people there.

Q: Just a follow-up. What has happened to these Taliban? If you said there were only 1,000... around 1,000 in the area what has happened to the rest of them. Where have they gone to?

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: I think you need to understand that most of those insurgents are locals. And some others are part of sub-groups such as foreign fighters, which once we've, with the Afghan National Security Forces cleared the area, make it very difficult for those foreign fighters to stay there because they're not going to get any kind of support from the local population and they're also, once you have police on the ground, conducting more patrolling, you know, they can be easily identified by the local leaders.

So these foreign fighters do not tend to stay in those areas and they tend to flee. For the bulk of them, the locals, some will stay in the area, and will observe and will see if some of their grievances to start with will be solved by better governance, by better development opportunities and greater security that can be offered by the Afghan National Police and the Afghan National Army.

There's certainly, and we're still trying to identify the numbers that may have decided to go back to Pakistan, as mentioned by General Azimi, to go to Farah province or Nemruz province, or to northern Helmand in Baghran district which still remains up to now an area for which the government of Afghanistan has not been able to extend its reach in order to provide to the Afghans what they deserve, a bright future.

Q: Stefanie Bolzen for the German daily Die Welt. I have a question to the spokesman of the Interior Ministry. You were saying that especially the Afghan police is doing a crucial job now in this operation, as much as the ANP and ANCOP. What does this mean in terms of training, because we hear... we know that the training of the police is a very, very important help from the allied forces, for example, Germany? What does it mean in terms of training of the police? Does the training become much more dangerous when it comes to partnering?

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Yes, that's right. The role of the Afghan National Police in Helmand and across the country is crucial and vital for the trust of the people toward the central government and vice versa.

Now as far as the training of the ANP is concerned let me take the opportunity to thank all our international partners, the United States and Germany, because they are playing a big role in training the Afghan National Police. Training is one of our main priorities for the coming two years in order to get to the level of 134,000 Afghan National Police. Not only this goal of increase, but in general the people of Afghanistan are asking for trained police because a trained police means a better future for Afghanistan. A trained police means no corruption in the police force. A trained police means better services for the people of Afghanistan.

So taking into account all these important issues, we are focusing on the training of the Afghan National Police and in 2009, let me go back, the Afghan Interior Ministry was able to train 25,000 police across the country. This is not a simple figure. Training 25,000 police requires a capability and capacity, which is a good sign for the future of the Afghan National Police. And if I come mainly to these two districts because of the importance, we have 400 police under training right now. They will be deployed and we will try to reach the goal of 1,600, as I said in the beginning. They have to be trained and they should be deployed.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: What I would like to add is clearly Joe McCrystal has made it clear that partnership, and I think specifically I think that was in essence what maybe she was asking, and I'm sure we can probably discuss that a bit more. It's the partnership of the Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams, you know, when we have the key true contributing nations who are providing either police officers or police senior non-commissioned members directly linked with a police detachment or a police station, who are connected, partnered, who can exchange knowledge, experience and further enhance the effectiveness at the local level of the Afghan National Police.

We certainly realize that there's risk associated with this, and we try to balance over the environment where those police stations are in order either by providing ANCOPs or providing Afghan National Army Quick Reaction Forces to enable those police stations to react if they become under attack. Maybe you want to add on the role of the partner observers and (inaudible).

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Sure. Well, we do have these in the training teams with the police right now as well. The FDD, Focused District Development program that was implemented in the Interior Ministry. We had these police mentoring teams of youth forces present with the police that were under this program of FDD.

And with this new plan of training more police across the country the plan is welcomed by the Interior Ministry, but I can't comment on that in details right now, that in which part of the country we will have these embedded trainers, police trainers, present with the police to train them and coach them and watch them how they perform after the training.

This is agreed in principle, this is a good step forward, because not only training the police on the job, but if they face a difficulty or a problem or heavily attacked by the insurgents they will be able to ask support and perhaps air support or ground support to help them.

Q: Just a very brief follow-up to that, because thank you for this information, but actually you did not really answer my question. Would you say that the job for the embedded police trainers is becoming more dangerous?

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Oh well you can't expect to be not dangerous. Working in Afghanistan is dangerous. Let me give you an example from yesterday up to now, in 24 hours, we have lost eight police in different parts of the country. They were not killed in their homes indeed. They lost their lives on the first line of duty.

So it is dangerous for the Afghan National Police, it is dangerous, no doubt about that. But these dangers must not hinder our efforts in building the security forces of Afghanistan and I think we, the Afghan National Police, and our international partners, will not count these threats and dangers as a hurdle against our plans that are forthcoming.

Q: My question is directed to General Tremblay. Can you tell us that what is the composition of operational forces in Helmand, all of them beside ISAF came from outside Helmand or they are from some units really from proper Helmand and Pashtun oriented?

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: There are some forces from the area, and some forces deployed from the other area. We had a brigade in Helmand province, but the structure enlarge and extended to (inaudible), so right now currently we have five battalion of ANA and three companies of Afghan National Commando in the area.

This is the first operation which is happening under the strategy of President Obama and (inaudible) of the General McCrystal. And as I mentioned before, that the most important part for the operation is to separate civilian from insurgents and this is what we are doing right now. And around 70 percent of the... about 70 percent of the ACM has been separated from this local population. And also once we separate civilian from the insurgents and ACM then the operation mission will make it easy to distinguish between civilian and insurgents.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ERIC TREMBLAY: Joe McCrystal has made it quite clear that ISAF needs to partner with the Afghan National Security Forces and this has been the mantra over the last few months because it delivers effectiveness. It delivers cultural understanding. It delivers connection at the local level with the Afghans and we're seeking to increase the size of the Afghan National Security Forces, both police and army, so that we can better support, but also they can take the lead throughout the country for their own security. Leading to this state or end state, we will continue to partner and increase the force ratio. And what we've seen in Helmand for the Central Helmand operation is we're really trying to match at the local level a ratio of one for one.

That's the end state, that's the objective, because it delivers greater effectiveness because of the sharing of knowledge and the level of experience you're able to exchange and bring to the fight.

Q: Hello, this is Pascal Mallet from Agence France-Presse, AFP. My question will be, of course, to all of the three persons in the room. You are talking about a ratio of one for one. Could you be a little more precise on the way you think that should be managed, the security of the area, once it is sought, it has been cleared and pacified. In other words, would ISAF forces stay as they are now for a while and how long? And once they decide to decrease what would be the ideal scenario, the ideal scheme? How many troops would be partnered? How many would be still forces, foreign forces? Afghan forces should be taking the lead quickly or is it too dangerous an area for thinking of a transition soon?

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: In this operation Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF are partnering. Basically Afghan National Army and ISAF are conducting operation clearing the area and once area clear then the Afghan National Police are coming. So it depends on time and on the situation. Once the area more clear then the ISAF will leave, the supportive element there, they will leave and Afghan National Army will remain to ensure the security. And then they will hand over the security lead t the Afghan National Police. But the Afghan National Army will always remain as a supportive element of the Afghan National Police in the area. It all depends on the security situation of the area.

Q: Yes, German News Agency, DPA. Just two questions for the spokesman of the Interior Ministry. One, if you could briefly repeat those numbers on police presence, because I think there was some misunderstanding in what the precise numbers are.

And secondly, If you could confirm from your end that it is about 2,000 extra international trainers that you're looking for to train the police forces. Thank you.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Yes, let me be clear. We have 1,100 extra police in Helmand now, mainly for Marjah and Nad Ali. And this is a force to take over after this military operation is done. As I said in the beginning to day the plan changed and sent our police forces to Marjah and Nad Ali and in both districts right now that I am talking to you we have the ANCOP forces present and have taken some charge of security.

This 1,100 is a force that was sent for this operation mainly because in Marjah we did not have police forces. This is... you know, the first picture of the police. Now what happens for the long run and how many police forces will be deployed in these two districts to take the responsibility for the long run law enforcement and security issues, that number is 1,600 Helmand police will be deployed in those two districts.

A bigger number will be given to Marjah and another number will be given to Nad Ali. And because Nad Ali was under our control, but some part of Nad Ali had some security problems, therefore the operation was also conducted in Nad Ali. But we must not forget that we have 400 police right now in Nad Ali district and they are doing their job as police forces.

And your second question, with the 2,000 number of trainers coming to train the Afghan National Police, the Interior Ministry will not close the number, will not limit the number, because we need these trainers. As many... as trainers are coming or that much bigger number is coming to the Interior Ministry it will be more welcome because that fast and that quick we will reach the goal of 134,000 trained police in Afghanistan. So hopefully in the future we can ask for more police.

Q: Gianlucca Cazzaniga with the Italian Daily Avvenire. I have a couple of questions. The first one is about the General Azimi mentioned something like 70 percent of the operation completed, and the second one is about the number of ANA soldiers. You mention five Kandaks and three company of commandos. We are talking about some 3,000 people? Thank.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: Before I was mentioning about 70 percent of the Taliban power. When we are clearing the area Taliban are losing their 50 percent... around 50 percent of the influence and power, especially for the recruitment in the area. So I was not talking about clearing 70 percent of the area. First answer.

The second answer, about the numbers, we... our battalion and Kandaks are different. We have 600 to 800 soldiers and officer in each Kandak. We deploy five Kandak or battalion to the area which is around 3,000 to 4,000 people and almost 500 Afghan National Commando Forces, which is three companies.

So the total amount is from 4,000 to 4,500 Afghan National Forces currently in the (inaudible) area.

And all these soldiers and officers were in the front line and they were carrying the mission and operation there. And ISAF forces were working there as a supportive and helping the Afghan National Security Forces.

One thing I would like to add, the importance of this operation. Afghan National Security Forces had the lead of this operation from the beginning, in three stages. A primary stage, and planning stage and operation, and all three stage Afghan National Security Forces have the lead. Afghan National Commando Forces were there in the area, together with the U.S. Special Forces operating in the lead. With the ISAF Special Forces.

Q: Yes, Marisa Ostolani from ANSA Italian News Agency. Just a quick question. I would like to know if this operation included also the distraction of the plantation of opium and if the answer is yes, what are you planning then for the alternative? Thanks.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Yes, we have not started eradication... poppy eradication in Marjah because this was a military operation. But based on the information that I got from our counter narcotic police forces the plan for Helmand is already executed. I mean, in some central parts of Helmand the eradication must have started, and this is the season where some of those provinces that are warm provinces, they will witness poppy eradication very soon and I will name those provinces for you: Helmand, Farah, Nemruz, some parts of Kandahar will be the provinces that will receive poppy eradication police forces on the first phase.

Q: Martinez de Rituerto again. Sorry to insist in figures. You said that there were more or less around 1,000 Taliban people in the area. Do you have any idea of how many are around? Thank you.

GENERAL MOHAMMAD ZAHIR AZIMI: As I mentioned before, when we are clearing the area, so Taliban and insurgents automatically lose their power, influence and number in the area, because some people who are working with the Taliban there are some reasons which I explained before, like some people are there because of fear, they're fearing of the Taliban. Some people are there, they're getting paid by Taliban. And also some people under the propaganda pressure.

So when they do operations some people have died, already some people captured and some escaped to Bagaram(?), Washei(?) and to the south of Helmand in Pakistan. South of Helmand... And also to north of the Helmand. So basically they automatically lose the number by these mentioned cases.

One thing I would like to mention that in Afghanistan success and winning depends on the local people's support, so if we'd like to win this war we will definitely receive the people's support for us. And it depends on good governance, on development, on the construction and the rehabilitation of the area, and also when we do eradication of the poppy and other seeds, so we need alternative for those people. That way the people will be supportive and we will remain in the area strengthening. If we do not support and we do not have alternative for the eradication for the people, so that's the sign which shows that the people will not be more supportive.

After we cleared the area we should make sure to provide good alternatives for the people to facilitate them and to make better life for them. If not it's hard and hard to win.

CARMEN ROMERO: Colleagues, I think if there are no further questions we can put an end to... AP... sorry, AP?

Q: Just a quick clarification for Mr. Bashary. Did you say that these additional police forces were deployed today?

ZEMERAI BASHARY: The additional forces were deployed in Marjah and Nad Ali today. But they were dispatched to Helmand province many days ago, actually before the conduct of the operation. They were in the centre of Helmand. We established a giant garrison where all forces were present together. The deployment in those two districts was done today actually. And we have right now in both districts, Marjah and Nad Ali the ANCOP police forces doing their jobs.

CARMEN ROMERO: Okay, is there anything else our colleagues in Kabul would like to add? If that's not the case I would like to thank General Azimi, Mr. Bashary and our colleague General Tremblay for this briefing, and good afternoon. Thank you.

ZEMERAI BASHARY: Well, it's late evening here, actually. Good evening for all of you.

CARMEN ROMERO: I give it to you after my briefing, is that okay?

Well, I wanted to tell you three things. I know that I don't want to keep you here for another hour. Still on Operation Moshtarak I would like to tell you that of course here from Brussels the Secretary General is following very closely the progress of this operation and he's been briefed on a permanent basis. Yesterday the Secretary General had a video conference also with SACEUR, COMISAF and his Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Sedwill.

And today, as I told you this morning, there were three NAC meetings and in one of the NAC meetings the Ambassadors were briefed about the evolution and the progress of the operation by both General McCrystal and Ambassador Sedwill.

From here I can tell you that the Secretary General is satisfied that the operation is progressing as planned, and what the Secretary General fines key right now is that the civilian effort, as our colleagues were also saying in Kabul, that the civilian efforts will now be initiated immediately, and this is what is going to make the difference, and this is the point that the Secretary General wants to emphasize.

The Ambassadors in the discussion with both Ambassador Sedwill and General McCrystal were especially interested in the civilian aspect of the operation and it was stressed by both Ambassador Sedwill and General McCrystal that this campaign is primarily about protecting the population and delivering the services that the people need using the Afghan-led district delivery program, so that's all I have to say about the operation.

Otherwise, there was a visit... there was an important visit by the Pakistani Foreign Minister today. He had both a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General and then he briefed the NAC. In the meeting with the Secretary General I can tell you that both Mr. Rasmussen and Minister Mehmood Qureshi agreed to create... or in order to find a solution to the problems of both Afghanistan and Pakistan we need a comprehensive approach and a regional approach and that the military efforts go hand in hand with reconstruction and development efforts and that we need more than a military effort. So, for example, immediately after a military operation there should be a big and important civilian and development effort.

And he said that of course this is important, both for Afghanistan, but also for Pakistan, that in the context of the military operations conducted by the Pakistani military into tribal areas it would be very important that the international community supports and assists the Pakistani government immediately after the end of a military operation.

Then also the Secretary General and the Pakistani Foreign Minister discuss ways to strengthen cooperation; for example, this between both Pakistan and NATO, and he said, Mr. Rasmussen, that NATO stands ready to assist, for example, in training Pakistani military officers in NATO schools and this is an idea that was welcomed—we are already doing that—welcomed by the Pakistani Minister.

Then in the meeting with the NAC Ambassadors, the NATO allies said that they are looking forward to deepening their cooperation with Pakistan in all areas: political consultations that are already well developed, as you know, you remember that the president of Pakistan was here in June last year, but also in practical cooperation. We have now an annual working program that is going to be used to do more things together. And then also military cooperation. And, of course, the fact that we have the tripartite commission was highlighted by everybody.

And the Pakistani Foreign Minister was commended by everybody in the NAC for the efforts that Pakistani government is having and making in the tribal areas in the fight against extremism.

Also the NAC and the Pakistani Foreign Minister agreed that military cooperation between Pakistan, Afghanistan and NATO has progressed very well and that the Border Coordination Centres Initiative should continue.

So that's what I have to say on that. There was a third NAC, and the NAC met also this morning with Michele Flournoy, the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from the United States. She gave an update to the NAC of the United States 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. As you know this is a pilot document that you can see and usually the NAC is briefed every time... every year on this.

I can tell you that both the Secretary General and allies appreciated very much the emphasis placed in this review on the importance of NATO and on the importance of strengthening cooperation among allies and also partner countries.

The Secretary General concluded that the findings of this review could also serve as food for thought as we are working on our new Strategic Concept and there was an interesting discussion in the NAC with Under Secretary Flournoy on how the U.S. Defense Review can be taken. I mean, this is the way it was expressed by some Ambassadors as an inspiration in these upcoming discussions on the Strategic Concept.

And there was a big interest by the Ambassadors on the focus that the U.S. review is putting in helping the development of military capacity in partner countries. So this is in general terms what happened this morning and if you have any follow-up questions?

By the way, the Secretary General just recorded a blog so you can find it, I think, now on the web and I also I will try to do what I can to also put the text, because some journalists, the transcript of the blog.

The blog is today on the operation in Helmand province. That's the focus of the blog. Yes?

Q: Carmen, perhaps we should have asked this question to the gentlemen that were there, but since this morning you had the inputs from General McCrystal and the Ambassadors. Is it true, or do you have proof that the Taliban are using human shields to protect themselves in this operation? I mean, has General McCrystal spoken about that? Thank you.

CARMEN ROMERO: This issue didn't come at all in the NAC discussion. no, it didn't come up at all.

Since we are all tired I think that's... that's the last question. (Laughs). Thank you.