Pakistan, Afghanistan, International Security Assistance Force work side-by-side at Khyber Border Coordination Center

Photo By Matthew Moeller | Pakistan, International Security Assistance Force and Afghan flags fly outside the Khyber Border Coordination Center at Forward Operating Base Torkham in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. The two nations and ISAF work together at the center, coordinating responses to border crises and providing faster communication between the three parties.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE TORKHAM, AFGHANISTAN

05.29.2009

Story by Sgt. Matthew Moeller 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

FORWARD OPERATING BASE TORKHAM, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan -- An Afghan national army military liaison officer at the Khyber Border Coordination Center receives a phone call; violent extremists are fleeing from Nangarhar province across the border into the Peshawar region of Pakistan. The Afghans have to inform the Pakistanis fast if they want to catch them in the act.

What could have taken hours before now takes seconds, as the ANA liaison walks a few feet to the desks of representatives from the Pakistani military and the Afghan national border police.

Located at Forward Operating Base Torkham, only a few miles from the international border separating the two nations, the KBCC has brought Pakistani, Afghan and International Security Assistance Force service members together to remove the fog of war, and allow instant communication and coordination between all working to secure the border.

"Basically, it removes a lot of links from the chain," said U.S. Army Capt. David Gray, officer in charge of the KBCC's ISAF personnel. "Now you have that face-to-face interaction between the different groups, so it tends to make things run a lot quicker."

Historically important, the Khyber Pass is home to Torkham Gate, Afghanistan's largest official entrance into the country. More than 40,000 people can cross through the gate each day, taking advantage of the direct route between Pakistan's capital Islamabad, to Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.

According to Afghan military members based at the KBCC, the difficult terrain along the border has allowed extremists to cross back and forth with little detection, often attacking from one side then fleeing to another before the second country could be informed of the intrusion.

Now with the KBCC fully operational, the two nations and ISAF are able to coordinate a response together almost instantly.

"We're working closely with the Pakistani and [ISAF personnel]," said Afghan Maj. Mohammad Shinwar, ABP liaison officer. "If something were to happen at the border, we are going to share with these two parties... and if we have any kind of problem, we will share with them, and the decision will be made by Pakistan, Afghanistan and [ISAF]."

These three-party decisions are already seeing results.

According to KBCC personnel, several months ago extremists attacked Afghan forces in the country's volatile Kunar province. After receiving reports that the men planned to flee through Torkham Gate into Pakistan, KBCC personnel coordinated with Afghan and Pakistani military forces, and the men were apprehended at the gate.

"Our successful coordination here led to their capture," said Lt. Col. Craig Snow, the center's public affairs officer.

The KBCC is the first of several planned coordination centers to be placed along the border. The two nations and ISAF hope the centers will be as successful as the KBCC.

• Date Taken: 05.29.2009
• Date Posted: 05.29.2009 06:55
• Story ID: 34262
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE TORKHAM, AF