Foreign Operations in the USCENTCOM Area of Responsibility

Following the accession to NATO, the Czech Republic assumed also a commitment to take part in foreign military operations under the flag of the Alliance. Thanks to experience gained in foreign service in UN multinational missions from 1993, followed by operations the Czech Republic participated in under the NATO Partnership for Peace programme, Czech military contingents have successfully fulfilled their tasks not only in countries of former Yugoslavia, but also in other parts of the world. The Czech general public has been well aware of this country's soldiers participation in missions and operations in faraway Afghanistan, Pakistan, and engagement of Czech Military Police contingent in Iraq in training new Iraqi Police Force. Not a small role has been also played by Czech military observers in, on many occasions, exotic places of this planet under the flag of the United Nations or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Coalition Operation in Iraq

The international community was represented in the country by the coalition of Multi-National Force Iraq (MNF-I) and the NATO Training Mission Iraq (NTM-I). The MNF-I has been deployed in Iraq since March 2003, when the Iraqi Freedom operation began, until May 2008. The NTM-I has been set in the country following NATO Summit in Istanbul in summer 2004 and the Czech contribution by up to 5 officers finished in March 2009.

In addition from Jun 2008 until March 2009 the contingent of 17 instructors was deployed under NTM-I command in Taji training facility to train the BMP-1 and T-72 Iraqi operators.

NATO Operation in Afghanistan

The Armed forces of the Czech Republic have participated in the NATO Multinational Force in Afghanistan since 12 March 2004.

The Czech personnel have been par of a reconstruction team in Badakhshan province in PRT Feyzabad since 9 March 2005 until end of 2007. Their task was to support security in the area, to protect international units, and to cooperate with local people in reconstruction of their homeland. Czech scouts are assigned to the team of about 200 soldiers together with Danes and soldiers of the German Bundeswehr.

The Armed Forces of the Czech Republic covered the Lead Nation task at KAIA from Nov. 2006 to Mar 2007. Up to 45 Czech officers were leading the KAIA under command Col. Dvorak.

In response to a NATO request to enlarge national contributions to ISAF operation, the Czech government decided in January 2007 to deploy a field hospital and a chemical detachment (up to 100 troops) of the Czech military in Kabul International Airport. The deployment commenced in March 2007 and finished in December 2008.

Since the end of April 2007 a thirty-five-member contingent of Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Czech Military Police has been serving in the south of Afghanistan in Helmand province. The unit reinforces capabilities of a British brigade deployed in this part of the country. The unit's task is to protect specific persons and significant objects and facilities. According to the Czech government decision the SOG deployment ended in December 2008.

Links

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