International Security

Assistance Force in Afghanistan

TERENTE MIHAELA
GRIGORIȚĂ ADRIAN
 The International Security Assistance
Force was a NATO-led security mission in
Afghanistan, established by the United
Nations Security Council in December
2001 by Resolution 1386, as envisaged by
the Bonn Agreement. Its main purpose
was to train the Afghan National Security
Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in
rebuilding key government institutions,
but was also engaged in the 2001–
present war with the Taliban insurgency. Participant in the War in
Afghanistan and the Global
War on Terrorism.
Origins and expansion of ISAF
ISAF was created in accordance with the Bonn
Conference in December 2001. Afghan
opposition leaders attending the conference
began the process of reconstructing their country
by setting up a new government structure,
namely the Afghan Transitional Authority. The
concept of a UN-mandated international force to
assist the newly established Afghan Transitional
Authority was also launched on this occasion to
create a secure environment in and around
Kabul and support the reconstruction of
Afghanistan.
ISAF mission throughout Afghanistan

 ISAF was initially charged with securing Kabul

and the surrounding areas from the Taliban,
al Qaeda and factional warlords, to allow for
the establishment of the Afghan Transitional
Administration headed by Hamid Karzai. In
October 2003, the UN Security Council
authorized the expansion of the ISAF mission
throughout Afghanistan, and ISAF
subsequently expanded the mission in four
main stages over the whole of the
country.From 2006 to 2011, ISAF had become
increasingly involved in more intensive
combat operations in southern and eastern
Afghanistan.
ISAF's mission in Afghanistan
(2001-2014)
 NATO took the lead of the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan
on 11 August 2003. Mandated by the United
Nations, ISAF’s primary objective was to
enable the Afghan government to provide
effective security across the country and
develop new Afghan security forces to ensure
Afghanistan would never again become a
safe haven for terrorists.
ISAF's mission in Afghanistan
 From 2011, responsibility for security was
gradually transitioned to Afghan forces,
which took the lead for security
operations across the country by
summer 2013. The transition process was
completed and Afghan forces assumed
full security responsibility at the end of
2014, when the ISAF mission was
completed. A new, smaller non-combat
mission (“Resolute Support”) was
launched on 1 January 2015 to provide
further training, advice and assistance to
the Afghan security forces and
institutions.
NATO - ISAF's mission in Afghanistan
 In support of the Afghan government,
ISAF assisted the Afghan National
Security Forces (ANSF) in the conduct
of security operations throughout the
country, helping to reduce the
capability of the insurgency. An
important priority for ISAF was to
increase the capacity and
capabilities of the Afghan forces. This
became the main focus of the mission
from 2011 onwards, as responsibility for
security was progressively transitioned
to Afghan lead and ISAF shifted from
a combat-centric role to training,
advising and assisting.
Building capacity and transitioning to
Afghan lead
 ISAF provided support to the Afghan
government and international
community in security sector reform,
including mentoring, training and
operational support to the Afghan
National Army (ANA) and the Afghan
National Police (ANP). The aim was to
build professional, independent and
sustainable forces that were able to
provide security to the Afghan
people throughout the country.
 As the ANSF grew stronger and more
capable, a gradual transition to full
Afghan security responsibility was
launched in July 2011, with the aim of
having the Afghan forces fully
responsible for security across the
country by end 2014, as agreed with the
Afghan government at the NATO
Summit in Lisbon in 2010 and reaffirmed
at the NATO Summit in Chicago in 2012
and the NATO Summit in Wales in 2014.
 ISAF's mandate
SAF was first deployed in In August 2003, on the request A detailed Military Technical
2001 on the basis of a of the UN and the Agreement agreed between the
request for assistance by the Government of the Islamic ISAF Commander and the Afghan
Afghan authorities and a Republic of Afghanistan, NATO Transitional Authority in January
United Nations (UN) Security took command of ISAF. Soon 2002 provided additional
Council mandate, which after, the UN mandated ISAF’s guidance for ISAF operations.
authorised the establishment gradual expansion outside of
of the force to assist the Kabul.
Afghan government in the
maintenance of security in
Kabul and its surrounding
areas – in particular to
enable the Afghan
authorities as well as UN
personnel to operate in a
secure environment.