"I am aware that this has been the first mission to many of you, which means new and unfamiliar environment, loads of new experience, information and things to go through. For some of you this mission was a particularly lengthy one, with a span of one year, for others – a little longer than six months, so you had tasks of transformation period to complete, when one mission began and the previous one ended. When Resolute Support Mission began the participating forces reduced, as well as scopes of assignments and areas of responsibility, however, you managed to tackle all the issues," Chief of the Joint Staff Brigadier General Vilmantas Tamošaitis said at the homecoming ceremony.
The redeployed Lithuanian troops had been assigned to the operational headquarters in Kabul and the Train Advise Assist Command – West (TAAC – West) in Herat.
Lithuania contributes the non-combat NATO operation in Afghanistan designed to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces. The total strength of the Resolute Support Mission is currently approximately 8-12,000 troops and the number is gradually shrinking.
Roughly 20 Lithuanian troops are currently serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Resolute Support, and one Lithuanian soldier is assigned to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA). Lithuania's military personnel are conducting the service in three headquarters located in Afghan cities of Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat.
The number of Lithuanian soldiers on the soil of Afghanistan has been decreased with the redeployment of Special Operations Forces Squadron. Even though the major part of Lithuanian military has been withdrawn, Lithuania continues contributing to the development of the Afghan National Security Forces. Lithuania plans maintaining its staff officers till the close of the Resolute Support Mission.
