"Our decision to head a PRT was a right choice that Lithuania derived benefit from, too. The name of our country was heard, it was the first independent and the largest multinational mission that Lithuania had been a part of along with other partner countries," the Minister said.

When giving his assessment of the mission and its achievements Minister J.Olekas emphasised that the presence of Lithuanian military in the province had created favourable conditions for development in the province and enabled Afghan people to take care of their security on their own. Lithuania and foreign partners have completed more than 200 development cooperation projects in Ghor over the duration of the mission.

Peacekeepers in Ghor have trained over 700 members of the Afghan National Police (ANP) of various ranks and more than 1200 members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) since 2010.

"It was also a great experience of collaboration with partners which has also proved that we could cooperate with them in any other operation just as successfully, including in Lithuania, in case of necessity," said Chief of the Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Brigadier General Vilmantas Tamošaitis.

When addressing the benefit of Lithuania's military contribution to the mission he underlined that it had been unique opportunity for Lithuanian troops to test their capacity and preparation to act in a real-life mission where any mistake might be charged extremely dearly.

According to him, such experience as planning and completing PRT operations in tactical units, battalions, would never have been available at warfare training centres.

The Chief of the Joint Staff also pointed out the fact that Lithuania managed to head an expeditionary operation 4000 km away from its territory for 8 years without interruptions as a unique experience.

"It is important that we have ensured the continuity of the mission successfully by transmitting experience from one rotation to another" Brig Gen V. Tamošaitis said.

When addressing the challenges ahead the Chief of the Joint Staff stressed that a half of the equipment, weaponry and transport that had been complemented for 8 years would have to be removed from Afghanistan. "That is a great challenge and experience for logistics personnel as well," the Chief of the Joint Staff said.

The General also underlined that an ultimate protection would be ensured as the withdrawing forces lacked in operational capacity. To that end Lithuania will receive assistance from ISAF personnel and Regional Command West (RC-W), the superior command of Chaghcharan PRT. Complementary allied capabilities have been concentrated in Chaghcharan for that purpose.

Approximately 2500 Lithuanian military have rotated in the Lithuanian-led PRT since June 2005, that involved 17 rotations of Lithuanian peacekeepers, approximately 150 each. Every PRT shift was formed on the basis of one battalion. Birutė, Mindaugas, Kęstutis, Algirdas and Artillery Infantry Battalions provided personnel twice each; Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Force deployed four units. Only the first rotations included members from more than one battalion.

The troops are expected to be redeployed to Lithuania till mid-September.

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