Coalition delivers humanitarian aid after Operation Medusa

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

09.22.2006

Story by Sgt. Brian Raley 

345th Public Affairs Detachment

by Staff Sgt. Brian Raley
345th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – ANA and Coalition Soldiers helped deliver the first wave of humanitarian aid to the villages of Regay and Pashmul in Southern Afghanistan on Sept. 21 and 22, following Operation Medusa which effectively defeated the enemy insurgents in the area.

According to US officials, Medusa successfully cleared about 1,000 insurgents from the districts of Zhari and Panjwai, both known to be Taliban strong holds in the Kandahar Province.

To protect the residents of key villages, local government officials as well as coalition forces instructed all villagers to evacuate, which resulted in thousands of villagers being displaced for nearly a month while the battle ensued.

Since the conclusion of combat operations in the area, families are returning to their homes and finding them either demolished, looted or in disarray due to insurgents using them as fighting positions.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Raleigh Jones, 405th Civil Affairs advisor to the U.S. National Command Element in Southern Afghanistan organized the humanitarian aid mission as part of the repatriation stage of the operation.

"Weeks before the operation started, we spent $175,000 on supplies to have on hand and ready to deliver," said Jones whose hometown is Anderson, S.C. "We also requested Soldiers from the Afghan National Army provide security and crowd control during the delivery of the goods."

Jones further explained that this phase of the operation was funded by the U.S. Commanders Emergency Response Program, but is only a precursor to more help. Agencies such as USAID and UNICEF are organizing a larger humanitarian effort to aid villagers in this area through the winter months.

ANA and Coalition Soldiers delivered essential items including essentials such as beans and rice, water, tea and sugar. In addition, blankets and clothes, radios and reading material were distributed to help replace materials used or taken by insurgents.

Canadian Army Maj. Quentin Innis, ISAF media operations officer, said the immediate aid was necessary but long term aid to the region is critical.

"The plan is to provide displaced villagers the most basic items upon returning to their homes and the next phases of the military humanitarian aid mission following Operation Medusa are geared towards providing long term infrastructure improvements and security," said Innis, whose is home station is in Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

"The aid to come will focus mainly on improving roads to better connect the area to Kandahar City and establishing a Coalition forward operating base along with the permanent presence of International Security Assistance Forces and Afghan Security Forces," he said.

• Date Taken: 09.22.2006
• Date Posted: 10.05.2006 08:32
• Story ID: 7925
• Location: KANDAHAR, AF