Afghan girl medically evacuated in remote Eastern Kandahar

AFGHANISTAN

09.15.2010

Story by 1st Lt. Neil Samson 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

A seven-year-old Afghan girl was medically evacuated by Coalition forces Sept. 15 in the Maruf District due to a broken arm and infection.

Khalida, from the Landay village of Maruf, was evacuated to Qalat where she received pins in her arm and medication to combat infection.

The MEDEVAC was deemed necessary after a Special Operations Task Force – South medic noticed “massive infection and lack of medical facilities in her remote village,” said the commander for the SOTF-S element working in Maruf.

“This type of support has never been here before,” said Raza Kahn, deputy chief of police for the Maruf district. “Without the air support, Khalida may have died.”

Her father, Mullah Abduallah , was visibly emotional prior to the aircraft arriving to MEDEVAC Khalida, and he was very thankful of the support, the commander said.

“The MEDEVAC occurred after a long discussion with the village elders who at first did not want the MEDEVAC because they were afraid they would "over-burden" Coalition forces in Maruf,” the commander said. “The team explained that Coalition forces work for the government and its citizens, and that we are an extension of the district governor.”

In previous Shuras, the district governor, Abdul Samad Durrani, stated that he wanted coalition forces in Maruf as an enabling asset to help the citizens and help connect the villages to the district center.

“This MEDEVAC supported his promise to the people and helped to save an Afghan girl in a remote area of Afghanistan,” the commander said.

Khalida’s father, a prominent village elder and son of the village elder for four surrounding communities accompanied his daughter on the MEDEVAC.

• Date Taken: 09.15.2010
• Date Posted: 09.18.2010 00:42
• Story ID: 56522
• Location: AF