ASPFOR V

Arrival:Kabul, 16th May 2003.

A new military force arrives in Afghanistan.

The 89 men and 11 women who make up the fifth Spanish force in Afghanistan form part of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), which is composed of troops from 29 countries. On arrival at 12:00 local time in Kabul, they take over from the fourth force that has been in the Operations Area since last January.

The mentioned personnel, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Godoy Malvar, depart from Matacán Air Base (Salamanca) on a Tupolev aircraft rented by the Ministry of Defence.

67 members of the Spanish Force in Afghanistan (ISASF) 4th "Brunete" returned on the same aircraft.

The arrival of the first troops from the 4th "Brunete" to return from the mission is expected for 2:00 AM on the morning of 15th May. While the ASPFOR IV is drawn from the 1st Engineer Regiment, based in Burgos, which belongs to the 1st Mechanized Division, ASPFOR V is drawn from the 11th Engineering Speciality Regiment, based in Salamanca.

The new force carries out the same type of missions as those done to date by 1st "Pirineos", 2nd "Sangenis", 3rd "Arapiles" and at present, 4th "Brunete", which are basically contributing to the re-establishment and security of Afghan institutions, aiding in the reconstruction of the country, deactivating landmines, explosives and ammunition, as well as actions of a civic-military nature.

The force, as its predecessors, consists of a Headquarters, Engineer Unit, Communications Unit, Explosives Deactivation Group, Logistics Support Unit and Command Support Team. This Group remains in Kabul for approximately 4 months, as did previous groups.

The Commander of the group to be relieved, Lieutenant Colonel José Ramón Solar Ferro, Engineers, gives a very positive account of his tour in Afghanistan and appraises the professionalism and fine work carried out by all his personnel, with an outstanding mention given to the personal satisfaction of having fulfilled one's duty and seeing the entire force return home. Moreover, Lieutenant General Ortuño, Commander of the Manoeuvre Force, congratulates the ASPFOR IV and expresses his recognition of their outstanding spirit of sacrifice and endless selflessness in order to accomplish all their commissioned tasks.

A new military force arrives in Afghanistan in September 2003.

The first 41 enlisted who form part of the sixth Spanish Force in Afghanistan, part of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) composed by 31 countries, arrive at 13:00 local time (two and a half hours later than in Spain) in the capital, Kabul, where they take over from the fifth force that has been in the Operations Area since May.

On the same aircraft Air Force personnel, 9 men and 1 woman, arrive to relieve the personnel detached at the Kabul International Airport.
These personnel, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ignacio Albiñana Celma depart from the Zaragoza Air Base on an Air Force Hercules C-130 aircraft and spend the night in the capital of Azerbayan, Bakú.