Q&A: Isaf troops in Afghanistan

Isaf says it aims to help stabilise the country

Established by the UN Security Council in December 2001, its stated role is to promote security and development.

Who are the main contributors to Isaf and what is its mandate?

The launch of Isaf was Nato's first and largest ground operation outside Europe. As of June this year, Isaf had 52,700 personnel from 40 different countries including the US, European countries, Australia, Jordan and New Zealand.

The largest contributing nations are the US and Britain. They provide around 14,000 and 7,800 troops respectively.

The US also has about 19,000 troops under Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - mostly in the east of Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan - that are not under Isaf's command.

Isaf's mission was initially limited to Kabul, but on 13 October 2003 the UN Security Council authorised it to expand its operation to other parts of the country. Since October 2006 it has operated in all the provinces of the country.

Some Isaf member countries want more help from Nato

Isaf's stated role is to help the government of Afghanistan maintain security across the country by conducting operations in co-ordination with the Afghan National Army. It also mentors and supports efforts by them to disarm illegal militias.

Nato says that the long-term aim is to help establish conditions in which Afghanistan can enjoy a stable and representative government after decades of conflict.

Who commands Isaf and how often is the leadership rotated?

Until August 2003, command of Isaf rotated among different nations on a six-month basis. But because of difficulties in finding new lead nations, Nato took over responsibility for appointing commanders.

Since then, Isaf has been commanded by generals from Germany, Canada, Turkey, Italy, Britain and the US who have been in charge for between six months to a year.

What is the state of relations between countries contributing to and working with Isaf?

Isaf is backed by 28,600 troops of the Afghan National Army and 30,200 Afghan policemen, who are described by the British Ministry of Defence as "fully equipped and trained".

Recently the US has attempted to encourage its Nato allies to boost their combat roles in southern Afghanistan.

But Germany has made it clear it will not provide more than the 3,200 troops already based in the north of the country. Canada has warned it will pull its troops out of Afghanistan unless Nato reinforcements are sent.

Some critics have argued that communication between Isaf and thousands of American troops - including special forces - serving with OEF is not as strong as it should be.

They argue this is particularly the case when it comes to civilian casualties, when Isaf and OEF have been accused of issuing contradictory accounts of the number of people killed and the circumstances of the attack.

Where is Isaf deployed in Afghanistan and what are its armaments?

The bulk of Isaf's forces are in the insurgency-wracked south and east of the country, especially in the provinces of Helmand and Kandahar.

Elsewhere, Isaf troops are engaged more in peacekeeping and reconstruction than in fighting.

The division of responsibilities is the result of decisions by national governments to keep their own troops away from major combat.

This has resulted in a list of caveats which prevent their troops from being deployed in certain areas and circumstances.

Isaf has access to a wide range of weaponry from tanks and armoured personnel carriers to air support from the US and British air forces.

But military analysts say that it can be difficult to use this weaponry effectively because clashes with the Taleban tend to take place in remote and inhospitable areas where much of the fighting is at close quarters.

Is Isaf's role purely a military one?

Isaf officials can often be heard saying that development without security is unachievable, and security without development is meaningless.

Much of the combat carried out by Isaf is at close quarters

It says that its mission in Afghanistan is to bring lasting peace and stability, and while that primarily involves the use of military personnel to secure the country, it also requires reconstruction and development initiatives.

It says that its activities in these fields include rebuilding damaged schools and hospitals and restoring water supplies and damaged infrastructure.

In order to so, Isaf says it has deployed 25 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in different parts of the country.

What view do ordinary Afghan civilians take of Isaf?

A poll commissioned by the BBC in December 2007 across all of Afghanistan's 34 provinces revealed that most Afghans supported the presence of overseas troops, and opposed the Taleban.

Around 71% of respondents said they supported or strongly supported the presence of US military forces in Afghanistan, with 67% supporting or strongly supporting the Isaf peacekeeping mission.

Overall, the figures indicated that the peaceful north of Afghanistan was significantly more satisfied than the troubled south. Most dissatisfaction was found in the south-west, where the Taleban are most active.

The poll suggested that despite another year of conflict, confidence and hope in the future were only slightly dented.

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