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EUROPE
26 Oct 13. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. There was some inaccurate reporting of an attack which took place over the weekend (26/27 Oct 13). The attack actually took place near to an Afghan National Army barracks at the Afghan National Defence University site. The incident did not involve any individuals „mentoring. at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA), nor any ANAOA Afghan Staff or Cadets. (MoD, 28 Oct 13.)
The Prime Minister welcomed the President of Afghanistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Downing Street on 29 Oct 13. The three leaders continued their discussions about Afghanistan and Pakistan.s shared interest in advancing regional peace, stability and prosperity. (PM.s Office, 29 Oct 13.)
The President of Afghanistan returned to Downing Street (30 Oct 13) for additional discussions on the Afghan-led peace process. The two leaders looked forward to the forthcoming national elections in Afghanistan and agreed on the importance of them being credible. (PM.s Office, 30 Oct 13.)
Tornado GR4 from 12(B) Squadron continued to fly every day in support of Afghan-led security Operations. The Squadron has now handed over to 617 Squadron. (RAF Op Update, 30 Oct 13.)
The Afghan President visited (31 Oct 13) the RMA Sandhurst to see the training undertaken. The visit followed “a successful and productive bilateral meeting” with the Defence Secretary in London. (MoD, 1 Nov 13.)
Soldiers from 3rd Bn The Mercian Regiment took control of Main Operating Base Price, near Gereshk. Price is located on the crucial route Highway 1. (MoD, 1 Nov 13.)
Comment: The current (2 Nov 13) edition of ‘The Spectator’ includes an article on the ANAOA mentioned above. The establishment is known as ‘Sandhurst in the Sand’ (or ‘Duntroon in the Desert’ by the Australians) and the article concludes that the Academy could prove to be the UK’s most lasting legacy. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/43, 04 Nov 13)
26 Oct 13. NATO AWACS: Support in Afghanistan. NATO’s fleet of E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) recorded 10,000 flight hours in support of Operations in Afghanistan. The E-3A fleet, based in Germany, passed the milestone on 26 Oct 13, reflecting almost 1,000 missions flown in over two and a half years.
Comment: The AWACS aircraft started supporting ISAF in January 2011. The AWACS mission is to provide air command and control, communications relay and radar coverage in the Afghan airspace. AWACS aircraft also assist with aerial refuelling by guiding fighter aircraft to their tankers. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/43, 04 Nov 13)
28 Oct 13. Syria: Verification Completed. Family members of those granted refugee status in the UK, including those from Syria, may apply for family reunion from outside the UK. However, the Government has no current plans to resettle Syrian refugees or to provide emergency humanitarian admission. (Written Answer (WA), 28 Oct 13).
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that, as at 28 Oct 13, verification activities have been completed at 21 of the 23 chemical weapons sites declared by Syria. The two remaining sites have not been visited for security reasons. (UN Briefing, 28 Oct 13.)
The OPCW and the UN confirmed that the Syrian Government has completed the destruction of critical equipment for all of its declared facilities. A final report is expected to be ready in early December. (UN Briefing, 31 Oct 13.)
No further inspection activities are currently planned although the OPCW/UN team intends to visit the remaining two sites “as conditions permit”. (UN Briefing, 1 Nov 13.)
Comment: There were some Oral Answers covering Syria in the House of Commons on