Early Christmas Treat - 1,000 Australian Troops Leave Afghanistan, Head Home for the Holidays
It's only end of March but families, friends and Australian troops stationed at Afghanistan have been given an early Christmas treat as the Australian government closes down its main base at Tarin Kot by end of the year, effectively sending back home 1,000 troops.
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has decided to close the Tarin Kot base in Uruzgan province. The ISAF is led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The closure of the base effectively signals the end of Australia's presence in the mission.
"We've been there for over a decade, and that's far too long," Stephen Smith, Australia's Defence Minister, said on Tuesday, noting the war was "the easiest thing in the world to get in, hardest thing in the world to get out."
The mission had definitely run too long, he said. Australia has lost 39 lives and incurred 249 wounded personnel in the protracted conflict.
The decision to pull-out the Australian troops stemmed on the December 31, 2014 deadline where the NATO-led combat mission is expected to fully hand over Uruzgan to the Afghan government.
"If we were not confident that transition would occur in Uruzgan by the end of this year, then this decision would not have been made," he said.
"The security in Uruzgan is in a much better state than when we first arrived."
However, special international forces troops will continue to stay in Afghanistan to help fight insurgent terrorist threats in light of the closure of the Tarin Kot base.
Mr Smith admitted things will continue to be difficult regardless of the pull-out.
"Will Afghanistan continue to be difficult? Yes. Will it continue to be variable in terms of security? Yes. Will it continue from now on to be dangerous for Australian personnel? Yes, it will," he said.
"The risk is different but nonetheless there is still a risk."
"But I believe the Afghan army and police will be able to maintain security and allow a newly elected Afghan president and government to start do the things that they want to do for their people," Mr Smith said.