Brigade La Fayette
The Brigade La Fayette, also named Task Force La Fayette, is a joint unit of the French forces in Afghanistan. It was officially created on 1 November 2009, along with a complete reorganisation of the French military deployment in Afghanistan. It comprises most of the French Army units involved in the ISAF.
The unit was named in honour of Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette. Its headquarters is at Nijrab outpost, near Nijrab, in the Kapisa Province. It is headed by general Jean-Pierre Palasset.
Organisation
The Brigade La Fayette is responsible for the Surobi district and for the Kapisa Province. It operates under the US 1st Cavalry Division, which head Regional Command East.
The Brigade comprises two Joint Tactical Groups, each composed of three infantry companies and their support units:
- the groupement tactique interarmes de Kapisa
- the groupement tactique interarmes de Surobi, composed of units formerly known as "BatFra" and based in Kabul.
The Brigade comprises over 2500 personnel, amounting to 75% of the French forces in Afghanistan. Most are based in outpost in Nijrab and Tagab, in Kapisa Province; in Tora in the Surobi district; and at Kabul airport. It also utilises combat outposts in Belda and in Rocco, jointly with the Afghan Army.
French Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams formerly operating in Wardak and Logar have exchanged their duties with Embedded Training Teams that operated in the territory presently cared for by the Brigade. The Brigade is especially linked to the 3rd Brigade of the 201st Corps (Afghanistan) of the Afghan National Army, deployed in Kapisa and Surobi.
Most of the Gendarmes tasked with the training of Afghan police are also integrated in the Brigade.
See also
References