Regional Command South
Encyclopedia
Regional Command is a multinational military formation, part of the International Security Assistance Force
in Afghanistan
. It is responsible for provincial reconstruction and security in Kandahar
, Lashkar Gah, Qalat and Tarin Kowt
. The Command also has responsibility for the provinces of Nimruz and Daykundi. It's Afghan National Army
partners are the 205th Corps (Afghanistan)
and the newly forming 215th Corps (Afghanistan). NATO countries contributing troops are Canada, France, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Non-NATO countries contributing troops are Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Units of the U.S. Army Special Forces, part of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, have operated across the southern provinces, including in Zabul Province
, but do not fall under the command of RC South.
Estonia announced that they would temporarily deploy a infantry company of up to 140 men to Afghanistan to assist Afghanistan’s police and army in providing security during the elections on 20 August. The infantry company was scheduled to be stationed in Helmand Province from 1 July to 1 December 2009.
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. It is responsible for provincial reconstruction and security in Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, Lashkar Gah, Qalat and Tarin Kowt
Tarin Kowt
Tarinkot or Tarin Kowt is the capital of Orūzgān province in southern Afghanistan in Tarin Kowt District. It is a town of about 10,000 people, with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar...
. The Command also has responsibility for the provinces of Nimruz and Daykundi. It's Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
partners are the 205th Corps (Afghanistan)
205th Corps (Afghanistan)
The 205th 'Atul' Corps is a corps-level formation of the Afghan National Army since 2004. The establishment of the corps started when the first commander, Gul Aqa Nahib, and some of his staff were appointed on September 1, 2004. The corps was officially established in Kandahar on September 19, 2004...
and the newly forming 215th Corps (Afghanistan). NATO countries contributing troops are Canada, France, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Non-NATO countries contributing troops are Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Command
The command of the region previously rotated between Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, but has most recently been assumed solely by the United States. The headquarters is located in Kandahar.- 28 February 2006: Canadian Brigadier-General David FraserDavid Fraser (Canadian)David Fraser is a major-general of the Canadian Forces. He was the commander of the Multinational Brigade for Regional Command South in Afghanistan's southern provinces in 2006...
assumed Command of Regional Command South. - 1 November 2006: Dutch Major-General Ton van LoonTon van LoonTon van Loon is a commander from the Netherlands. He is a Lieutenant General employed by NATO who took control of the International Security Assistance Force , Regional Command South on November 1, 2006 until May 1, 2007. As of April 13, 2010, he commands I. German/Dutch Corps...
led Regional Command South in Afghanistan for a six months period. http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/6_1_1.asp?id=1275 - 1 May 2007: British Major-General Jacko PageJonathan David PageMajor General Jonathan David Page CB OBE is a British Army General.-Military career:He joined the British Army in 1981, commissioned into the Parachute Regiment...
- 1 February 2008: Canadian Major-General Marc Lessard took command for a nine-month period.
- 1 November 2008: the Dutch Major-General Mart de KruifMart de KruifMart de Kruif is a Dutch Army general. He currently serves as the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army.De Kruif got his military education at the Military Academy in Breda. Later he was also educated at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr and the U.S. Army War College...
took command of this region. - 1 November 2009: British Major General Nick CarterNick Carter (British Army officer)Major General Nicholas Patrick "Nick" Carter CBE DSO is a senior British Army officer and formerly Commander of combined forces, including British Forces, in Southern Afghanistan.-Military career:...
took command. At this time, 6 (UK) Division, reorganised as Combined Joint Task Force 6, took over the headquarters function for the period of the British rotation. On 14 June 2010, RC(S) was split to create RC(S) and RC(SW). RC(SW) assumed control of the Helmand and Nimroz provinces. - 1 November 2010: USA Major General James L. TerryJames L. TerryMaj. Gen. James L. Terry was born in Chatsworth, Georgia. A 1978 ROTC graduate from North Georgia College commissioned in the Infantry, Terry has commanded at multiple levels across the Army. He was the Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division from 2009 to 2011...
, Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division10th Mountain DivisionThe 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
, assumes command of Regional Command South. Headquarters 10th Mountain Division (LI) became HQ Combined Joint Task Force 10 for the deployment. - 1 October 2011 USA Major General James L. Huggins, Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division, assumes command of Regional Command South.
Major units
Regional Command (South) comprises approximately 35,000 personnel, as of 6 October 2008. Its subordinate units and formations include:- HQ RC(S) at Kandahar AirfieldKandahar AirfieldKandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
in Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
(Netherlands) - Forward Support Base Kandahar (Multinational)
- Army Aviation assets from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade159th Combat Aviation BrigadeThe 159th Combat Aviation Brigade is part of the 101st Airborne Division , based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 101st Airborne Division is the only division with two aviation brigades...
of the 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne DivisionThe 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
are currently the main aviation effort in Regional Command - South. - Task Force HelmandTask Force HelmandTask Force Helmand is the name given to a military unit of the International Security Assistance Force in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Task Force Helmand is currently part of Regional Command Southwest and consists of military forces from countries such as Estonia and the U.K....
(U.K. forces in central and northeast Helmand Province). TFH is currently provided by 11th Light Brigade. - Task Force LeatherneckTask Force LeatherneckTask Force Leatherneck or MEB-Afghanistan is a a Marine Air-Ground Task Force currently operating in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The name was originally given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during its 2009-10 for Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Regional Command South...
(U.S. Marines in southern and western Helmand Province) - Task Force KandaharTask Force KandaharTask Force Kandahar is the formation conducting the International Security Assistance Force mission in Kandahar Province under ISAF Regional Command South. The formation includes a Canadian Forces battle group, three U.S...
(Canadian Forces in Kandahar City and western Kandahar Province)- PRT Kandahar in Kandahar City (Canada) http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/canada-afghanistan/kandahar/kprt-eprk.aspx
- About 800 U.S soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment from Fort Carson, were as of June 2009 under the operational control of the Commander, Task Force Kandahar. The 1-12 Infantry was declared ready for operations since 18 June 2009, and assumed responsibility for Maywand DistrictMaywand DistrictMaiwand District is situated in the western part of the Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Helmand Province to the west, Ghorak District to the north, Khakrez District to the northeast, Zhari District to the east, and Panjwai District to the south. The population is 51,900 . The district...
.
- Task Force Stryker (U.S. forces in the remainder of Kandahar Province. U.S. and Romanian Forces in Zabul Province) The Task Force is built around 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
- PRT Zabul in QalatQalatQalat, Qelat, Kalat, Kalaat, or Kelat, may refer to:Qalat , a fortified place or fortified village-Iran:* Kalat, Khorasan* Qelat, Fars...
, Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
(USA, Romania)
- PRT Zabul in Qalat
- Task Force UruzganTask Force UruzganThe Netherlands Army Task Force Uruzgan was part of NATO's Regional Command South, International Security Assistance Force, in Afghanistan. The Dutch lead one of the four Provincial Reconstruction Teams in the southern region of the country...
(Dutch Armed ForcesMilitary of the NetherlandsThe Armed forces of the Netherlands consist of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.The service branches consist of:* Koninklijke Landmacht , Royal Netherlands Army....
headquartered at Kamp HollandKamp HollandKamp Holland is the main Dutch military base on the outskirts of Tarin Kowt, the provincial capital of Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan....
in Uruzgan Province)- PRT Uruzgan in Tarin KowtTarin KowtTarinkot or Tarin Kowt is the capital of Orūzgān province in southern Afghanistan in Tarin Kowt District. It is a town of about 10,000 people, with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar...
, Uruzgan Province (Netherlands, Australia) http://www.www.globalcollab.org/Nautilus/australia/afghanistan/prt-oruzgan
- PRT Uruzgan in Tarin Kowt
- PRT Helmand in Lashkar Gah, Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
(UK, Denmark, Estonia) http://www.ukinafghanistan.fco.gov.uk/en/working-with-afghanistan/prt-helmand/
Units of the U.S. Army Special Forces, part of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, have operated across the southern provinces, including in Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, but do not fall under the command of RC South.
Estonia announced that they would temporarily deploy a infantry company of up to 140 men to Afghanistan to assist Afghanistan’s police and army in providing security during the elections on 20 August. The infantry company was scheduled to be stationed in Helmand Province from 1 July to 1 December 2009.