page_title: International Security Assistance Force
section_title: NATO states
hierarchical_section_title: International Security Assistance Force / Contributing nations / NATO states
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. mine resistant ambush protected vehicle and a French tactical armored vehicle bring troops back from a mission in Shpee valley to Combat Outpost Belda in Kapisa province, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2009.
context_page_description: The International Security Assistance Force was a NATO-led military 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 and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key government institutions, but was also engaged in the War in Afghanistan against the Taliban insurgency.
  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 became increasingly involved in more intensive combat operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
  Troop contributors included the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other NATO member states as well as a number of other countries.
context_section_description:  Albania – On 28 July 2010, Albania sent 44 soldiers from the Albanian Special Operations Battalion to engage in combat operations in the province of Kandahar alongside US and British special forces. The contingent was given the name "Eagle 1". On 25 January 2011, the second rotation consisting of 45 soldiers named "Eagle 2" was sent to Afghanistan following the return of the first, "Eagle 3" followed. On 16 January 2011, Albania sent its fourth mission codenamed "Eagle 4" to Kandahar. However, the main contingent was composed of a company under Italian command in the province of Herat. Albania also had a squad of soldiers under Turkish command in Kabul and a contribution to a joint medical team with the Czech contingent. The last contingent was composed of 222 soldiers of the 8th Regiment.
   Belgium – The Belgian mission was named BELU ISAF 21. Their main task was to provide security at Kabul International Airport, while detachments (KUNDUZ 16) assisted in the northern PRTs of Kunduz and Mazar-i-Sharif. In September 2008, OGF 4 started: four F‑16s with about 140 support personnel deployed. They operated from Kandahar Airport. The Belgian Air Force operated in close cooperation with Dutch F-16 fighter jets already deployed there.
   Bulgaria – In December 2009, Bulgarian Minister of Defence Nickolay Mladenov said that the Bulgarian contingent in Afghanistan, which was divided between two military bases in Kabul and Kandahar with a total of 602 soldiers, would be consolidated in Kandahar and that it could add an additional 100 troops in Afghanistan in 2010. In July 2011, Bulgaria sent 165 more soldiers bringing the total number to 767. The government declared that it would withdraw its troops in 2014.
   Canada – Canadian Forces were actively engaged in fighting the Taliban in the south and suffered a high proportion of the allied casualties. In 2006, with the situation in Kandahar Province turned increasingly violent, the Canadian Forces participated in several operations and battles from the beginning of the war in Afghanistan in 2001. The Royal Canadian Air Force had a major presence in Afghanistan, including three CC‑130 Hercules cargo planes, two CP‑140 surveillance planes, six CH‑147 Chinook transport helicopters, six Mil Mi‑8 leased for one year from Skylink Aviation, eight CH‑146 Griffon utility helicopters and three CU‑170 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Canadian Army increased their presence with main battle tanks, some ten Leopard C2 and twenty Leopard 2A6M CAN, approximately one hundred LAV III armoured vehicles and six 155 mm M777 howitzers. Canada has suffered 158 killed in Afghanistan. In 2011, all Canadian combat forces had withdrawn from Kandahar and relocated the bulk of their forces in Kabul, with detachments in RC North and RC West. Canada completed its participation in March 2014.
   Croatia – Croatian troops were involved in three locations. The Croatian parliament voted on extra troop numbers on 7 December with all parties supporting a troop increase, parliament also recognized that additional increases in troop numbers might be possible during 2011 and 2012 to help train local army and police units. Maximal number of Croatian soldiers in Afghanistan was about 450.
   Czech Republic – Czech troops in Afghanistan were involved in four locations. In Czech combat units (special forces) in peak served 100-120 troops. In other non-combat military units, primarily engineering, medical, trainee, advisory or guard, served during all the tours about 4000 soldiers, medical staff, civilian engineers and other specialists. The largest unit was deployed as PRT Logar composed of 192 troops and 12 civilians in Logar Province, in place since 19 March 2008. Four BMP‑2 IFVs were part of PRT Logar, however they were only involved in guarding the Shank Base due to their weak IED protection. 4 Pandur II were also part of PRT Logar, which were actively used in operations. The Iveco LMV was the most commonly used vehicle by the Czech Armed Forces all over Afghanistan. The Field Hospital at Kabul Airport was deployed in March 2007 an
caption: French units on duty with ISAF.
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