Report - United States Department of Defense

UNCLASSIFIED
The still-nascent ANP logistics system is challenged by insurgent threats in such basic functions
as the delivery of fuel and water. Contracted support, especially in the South, is unavailable due
to a lack of providers in reasonable distance to fielded units. ABP is also heavily reliant on
Afghan air support to sustain, evacuate casualties, or relieve police forces that spend long tours
of duty in isolated border stations. The ABP do not, however, get priority for support from
Afghan air assets, which are extremely limited.
In order to address some of these challenges, NTM-A approved new capabilities for resourcing
that will increase the effectiveness of the ABP. Three route clearance companies (RCC) will be
stood up in the zones with the highest rate of IED attacks to improve the protection of ABP while
they patrol or sustain their forces via GLOCs. Border Control Point (BCP) equipment will be
provided to improve the detection of precursor’s chemicals and opiates. More heavy-weapons
capabilities will be introduced to all zones to help defend against a persistent enemy that is
currently much better armed than the ABP.
Recent improvements in professionalization efforts have been realized with a top-down focus by
ABP leadership in ongoing training, education and literacy. NTM-A and ABP have collaborated
to significantly increase training in many functional areas, including intelligence, vehicle and
weapons maintenance, communications and medical and personnel support. An NCO-level
course for police employed at airports and BCPs was developed with Afghan support and is
being delivered in partnership with bilateral contributors. The methodology by which this
training was developed is the model that the ABP will use to create follow-on border police
specific courses. NTM-A also has concentrated on building a train-the-trainer capacity within
the ABP commander’s organization, per his request.
The C2 abilities of ABP have improved with better coordination with the MoI, laterally within
the HQ, down to subordinate units, and with neighboring countries’ border patrols. ABP and
ANSF leadership continue to engage in multiple discussions with neighboring country
counterparts to improve border relations. Efforts to build pan-ANSF supporting relationships
and improve cooperation along neighboring borders, especially Pakistan, are still enabled and
dependent on coalition forces. Moving forward, the main effort of the coalition forces should be
to continue to foster better communication, coordination and cooperation with other ANSF to
provide layered and in extremis support. This approach is likely the only defensive posture that
will be sufficient to reduce insurgent operations in the border zone.
Positive momentum can be seen with the ABP's mission at the regulated points of embarkation,
including 5 airports and 14 BCPs. ABP has also embraced the Combined Comprehensive
Border Strategy (CCBS), under which ISAF supports GIRoA with focused and coherent
nationally endorsed aims to limit the ingress of homemade explosives (HMEs) precursor
chemicals, insurgents and weapons, by concentrating effort at selected BCPs. NTM-A is
currently equipping and training police and improving infrastructure at these sites in order to
support the initiative. ISAF personnel assess that if sufficient security and force protection can
be provided; airports and BCPs are the best locations to focus ABP professionalization and
corruption reduction efforts beyond 2014.
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