Major Kapanadze meets Christmas with Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan

Georgian soldiers serving in a peacekeeping mission in the Afghan province of Parwan celebrated the Orthodox Christmas holiday with the Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) on January 7.

Soldiers of the 51st Battalion of the V Infantry Brigade, who are based at the Bagram Air Base – the biggest airbase in Afghanistan - were pleased to host Chief of General Staff Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze on the Christmas holiday in Afghanistan.

The Georgian military servicemen attended a Christmas liturgy at the Georgian chapel at the base. Chaplain of the 51st Battalion Archpriest Giorgi Gablishvili led the prayers.

While there, Major-General Kapanadze viewed the 51st Battalion headquarters and reviewed the working environment of the battalion.

The 51st Battalion are taking part in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) follow-on Resolute Support mission as part of the United States military contingent.

At the NATO Summit in Wales on September 4, 2014, the leaders of the ISAF troop-contributing nations underlined their commitment to continue supporting Afghanistan after 2014.

NATO allies and partners stand ready to launch a new NATO-led non-combat mission called Resolute Support to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions.