In Herat, at the Italian base of Camp Arena, five policewomen and four female soldiers of the Afghan security forces attended the training course to obtain the qualification of "instructor", which enables them to carry out training activities in favor of fellow soldiers for the contrast of improvised explosive devices. The course - Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) - held by the Italian military contingent, was developed as part of the training program conducted by the Military Advising Team (MAT) and ended on Wednesday 14 February, after two weeks of theoretical and practices.
The course carried out
The participants of the course, selected by the command of the NATO mission "Resolute Support", followed a first phase of theoretical lessons concerning the study of the main techniques used by the insurgency for the construction and positioning of the "explosive traps". Subsequently, in the practical phase, they had the opportunity to learn the procedures to be implemented for the identification of hidden devices, for the safety of a suspicious area and for the request for intervention by the bomb squad.
The task of the instructors
Improvised devices represent one of the main threats in Afghanistan, both for the security forces and for the local population. Above all, the latter is too often a victim, indiscriminately, during the daily movements along the roads that connect the cities and villages of the country. The new instructors will have the delicate task of training their colleagues, including males, as well as organizing and conducting information campaigns in favor of the civilian population, especially women and children, with the aim of reducing the number of victims.
The mission in Afghanistan
The activities in favor of Afghan women, carried out as part of "gender projects", are developed in all training (Train) and advisory (Advise and Assist) plans, which are currently carried out by Italian instructors in favor of the Police and of the Afghan Army. As required by the "Resolute Support" mandate, these activities contribute to the achievement of the final objective, which is to make the local Autonomous Security Forces in the management of the professional development of their staff, as well as to train new instructors (the so-called "train" the trainers ").
