The first rotation of military contingents this year has taken place as the Lithuanian Armed Forces carry on contributing to multinational operations, the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania has informed.
The first rotation of military contingents this year has taken place as the Lithuanian Armed Forces carry on contributing to multinational operations, the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania has informed.
Staff officers of the Lithuanian Navy rotated after a year of service at the EU Naval Force Operation Headquarters (EU NAVFOR OHQ) in Northwood, UK, on 6 January 2014. Lithuanian officers have been working at the ATALANTA OHQ since early 2011.
According to Defence Ministry, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan will remain Lithuania’s major military contribution to multinational operations. The largest contingent in the country will be manned by the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces Squadron, responsible for both – completion of special operations tasks and for further training of the personnel for local security forces.
Air Mentoring Team (AMT) formed and led by the Lithuanian Air Force will continue being in charge of training local helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel will continue serving in Kandahar, protection of the Head of the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan will keep being the responsibility of the Military Police and individual detached officers will continue working at ISAF headquarters in Kabul, Western and Eastern regions of the operation.
One officer is continuing service at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) while another officer carries on with the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan (NTM-A) in the north of the country this way contributing to the training of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Military personnel of the National Support Element ensure logistic supply of the Lithuanian troops on duty in Afghanistan.
Lithuania continues participating in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) where military instructors have been deployed since spring of 2013.
Lithuanians in Mali provide training for local security forces attached to a Finnish-led Nordic-Baltic Training Team. They are planned to serve in the mission till the expiry of its mandate, i.e. till mid-2014.
There are approximately 100 Lithuanian military deployed to multinational operations at present.
This year Lithuania will mark the 20th anniversary of participation in multinational operations. Lithuania’s involvement in multinational peacekeeping operations dates back to 1994 when the first Lithuanian military unit was assigned to serve with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR II) in Croatia.
Over six thousand military have already conducted service in NATO, EU and US coalition-led missions and operations, UN-led peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, as well as training and observation missions of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSE) in more than 10 countries since then.
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