GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan Uniform Police, Afghan Local Police and coalition forces converge at an Afghan National Army forward operation base in Ghazni province, April 11, to conduct tactical maneuvers training and room clearing procedures - a critical training asset required for the types of missions they perform.
Security Force Assistance Team 6, Cross Functional Team Warrior, 10th Mountain Division, along with U.S. civilian embedded police personnel and law enforcement professionals, advised the AUP and ALP of the Aban district to safely and effectively maneuver themselves through urban environments and quickly neutralize insurgent threats once entering a building.
“Through this training they will be able to move forward very quickly, they are very proactive in asking us for assistance in certain areas; they are doing exactly what they need to be doing,” said 1st Lt. Michael Ward, SFAT 6 operations officer.
The law enforcement professional attached to SFAT 6 also worked with Capt. Abdul Wahad, AUP administrative officer, Aban district, on how to properly collect evidence and how to systematically use interviewing techniques on detained suspects in order to effectively obtain information.
“If we continue this training once a week, I’m sure we will progress to a very high standard,” said Ali Ahmed, AUP soldier.
SFAT 6 is responsible for advising and assisting these two police forces as well as a Kandak unit from the Afghan National Army and intend sharing their tactical knowledge on a weekly basis.
Ward said they need some assistance in certain areas. They are already proficient in most things as a force. Fine-tuning their room clearing and evidence collecting techniques will help them progress into the future.
“This training today is going to help my guys capture the enemy and be able to search compounds properly,” said Lt. Col. Haji Hesmatullah Muradi, Aban district AUP commander.
Muradi said his unit is about 80 percent self-sufficient at this point and is confident his men will be fully capable well before the expected coalition forces departure from Afghanistan in late 2014.
Coalition forces, especially the advisory teams, have assisted greatly to the success of the AUP and ALP from Aban district by meeting with them regularly to identify areas where they need assistance the most. The need for this specific training was identified a couple of weeks ago at a meeting with the unit commanders.
“We are very happy and appreciate everything they have done for us. All of you are here as a guest in our country and we welcome you and will make sure you are taken care of,” said Muradi.
The advisory team has been working with Muradi for the past couple months and has seen vast improvements in their abilities to carry out kinetic operations, but just as importantly, they have seen their sense of pride flourish.
“I’m very happy and proud to be serving my country. I’m proud to be a soldier in the AUP,” said Ahmed.
The Afghan police from Aban district will continue to work with SFAT 6, taking it seriously, as if their fellow soldier’s life depends on it, because it does.