ASPFOR XIII

On 6 February a Transfer of Authority ceremony took place at the Spanish base “General Urrutia” in Qala-i-Naw, capital of Badghis province. Command is now is in the hands of ASPFOR XIII, which is led by Colonel José Antonio Alonso Miranda. The task force will be stationed at that base in Badghis and at the Forward Support Base in the neighbouring province of Herat.

Most of the troops in the contingent come from the Legion Brigade “Rey Alfonso XIII”, although there are also soldiers from the 2nd Manoeuvre Helicopter Unit, based in Bétera (Valencia), and from the 21st Logistics Group, based in Seville. Altogether they form the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) for Badghis province.

The aim of PRTs and, therefore, ASPFOR XIII, is to provide a safe and stable environment in the provinces to permit their reconstruction. The Spanish PRT is made up of Command, Senior Staff and units in charge of protection, logistic support, signals and reconstruction support. It also includes teams devoted to explosives deactivation, intelligence and tactical air control – the latter, from the Air Force.

In addition, it is expected that experts from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (the civilian component of the Badghis PRT) will continue their work in the province.

The Forward Support Base in Herat is exclusively military in nature and is being shared with the Italian Army. ASPFOR XIII contributes a Quick Reaction Force characterised by its great tactical mobility, ready to go into action in any of the four provinces situated in the western region of the country.

The area of responsibility of the Spanish-led PRT is Bagdhis province in northwest Afghanistan. It has a surface area of 21,858 km2, most of it mountainous terrain 1,000 m above sea level.