Georgian Army platoon launch mission in Kabul

Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) has transferred authority and officially begun its mission at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a NATO-led security mission in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Alongwith Georgian military leaders, US, Turkish and Albanian military officials attended the ceremony at camp Phoenix today.

For the next six months, the GAF reinforced platoon called - Shavnabada Battalion - will be deployed under the command of the US at camp Phoenix, the Ministry of Defence reported.

The main task of the Georgian unit operated by "Task Force Volunteer” is to provide security at the base.

The mission of Georgian soldiers includes patrolling the inner and outer perimeters of the territory, strengthening checkpoints, controlling entrance gates and performing other security duties.

The I Infantry Brigade platoon will be involved in rapid reaction force operations, led by US soldiers, and will carry out duties shoulder-to-shoulder with them.

According to the agreed future path, Afghan security forces will take on full security responsibility for their country by the end of 2014, while the role of the ISAF forces will shift from a combat to a support role.

Georgia also indicated its willingness to participate in the post-2014 follow-on mission to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces once the country resumed security responsibility.

Georgia is currently the largest non-NATO troop contributor to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.