Brussels, 29/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - NATO Heads of State and government meeting in Istanbul on 28 June agreed to expand the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Istanbul summit communiqué stated, "In consultation with the Afghan authorities, we will continue to expand ISAF in stages throughout Afghanistan, through the establishment by lead nations of additional Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs)". A NATO official specified that four new PRTs would be set up in advance of the Afghan elections in September in: Mazar-e-Shrif, led by the UK and including Denmark, Finland, Romania and Sweden; Meymanah, led by the UK and including Norway and Finland (an extension of the Mazar-e-Sharif “Enduring Freedom” operation led by UK); Feyzabad, led by Germany (extension of Kunduz); and Baghlan, led by the Netherlands.
In addition, Mazar-e-Sharif will be the forward support base for the ISAF expansion in northern Afghanistan, according to the NATO official. He said the expanded ISAF presence will cover nine provinces in the north of the country totalling an area of 185,000 square kilometres. An Alliance official said that the expansion would involve increasing the strength of ISAF from its current 6,500 to 10,000 troops. A company of troops will be deployed with each. On the spot the NATO forces will be supported by six transport aircraft equivalent to the C-130 medium-lift aircraft and 18 helicopters, including six attack helicopters.
The NATO official said that work was also underway to expand ISAF to the west of Kabul, with Heirat as the forward operating base and the transfer under a NATO mandate of the coalition operation in Bamian.