Task Force Tiger, PRT, ANA work together in Alasay Valley

Air Force Master Sgt. Todd Davis, Kapisa/Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team, conducts a foot patrol April 5 through a local market place near the Alasay District Center in Kapisa province. The PRT inspected a school, assisted the Afghan National Army in delivering school supplies to more than 250 area youth and helped local medical providers treat more than 670 patients during a two-day village medical outreach mission in Alasay. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chief Master Sgt. John Zincone)

Task Force Tiger, PRT, ANA work together in Alasay Valley

French and U.S. military representatives speak with local village elders in the Alasay Valley. A Joint Civilian Military Cooperation and Provincial Reconstruction Team met with students and teachers from two schools in the village to determine the needs of the community. (French Army photo by Maj. Patrick Simo)

Task Force Tiger, PRT, ANA work together in Alasay Valley

Afghan school children learn English while engineers from the Kapisa and Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team inspect the school building near the Alasay District Center on April 6. The local government prioritized this school as a development project for the PRT to work on in Alasay District, Kapisa province. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chief Master Sgt. John Zincone)

Task Force Tiger, PRT, ANA work together in Alasay Valley

Published April 19, 2009
By French Army Maj. Patrick Simo
Task Force Tiger Public Affairs

ALASAY VALLEY, Afghanistan -- A joint effort by the Afghan, French and American militaries conducted a medical operation here April 5-6, providing care to more than 600 Afghans from local villages.

A Joint Civilian Military Cooperation and Provincial Reconstruction Team also met with students and teachers from two schools in the village to determine the needs of the community. The teams distributed more than 500 school kits in Sultankhel, an area historically known for attacks on coalition troops.

Meanwhile, Afghan and U.S. service members patrolled the bazaar and met with local vendors.

"The patrols with the French were fantastic," said Air Force Master Sgt. Todd Davis. "Once we entered the bazaar the French moved very slow and tactically, clearing alley ways and shops one by one."

Following the community outreach, the teams held several shuras, or community council meetings, with local leaders in the Spee and Skan Valleys to review the security situation in the eastern district.

The second in command of the Afghan National Army's 1st Kandak brigade and the head of the Afghan National Police met with the chief American embedded training team and a representative of French Task Force Tiger, discussing security concerns for more than six hours.

"There is a real desire to move forward and unite around the sub-governor in order to extend this quiet situation to the valley bottoms," said one of the local elders from Alasay.

The key to this mission was to talk, share and find solutions to solidify the still-fragile relationships in the valley, following a major offensive operation March involving two companies of TF Tiger and two companies from the 1st Kandak.

Since December 2008, the Kapisa Le Groupement tactique interarmes (combined tactical group) increased security in its area of operations. The daily presence of Afghan and French soldiers in the valleys is particularly effective, according to TF Tiger leaders.

"In this kind of counter-insurgency war, the people are truly the center of gravity of our operations," said Col. Nicolas Le Nen, French commander. "We are able to simultaneously conduct kinetic actions and support operations to the inhabitants of the valleys. Winning of the hearts and minds is crucial if we are to improve security, governance and development of the province."