Bosnians in Helmand
A small contingent of Bosnians have deployed to Helmand Province to assist their Danish colleagues in Gereshk.
Returning to Camp Price after a hard patrol in Gereshk City – you are greeted by an unfamiliar sight in Afghanistan. The soldiers guarding the gate are neither American, British, Danish, nor Afghan – they are Bosnian. There are around 50 operating in Helmand Province.
This is the first overseas deployment for these soldiers, who relish the chance to display the professional skills of their nascent army.
‘For me, as a soldier, this is a big mountain, something that I have wanted to have in my career and it’s something perfect to have at the end of my military career,’says Captain Ahmetovic of their contingent.
Guarding the Camp it is vital to mission success and impacts upon the operations of their Danish colleagues.
Having something of a fractured history, the Bosnian soldiers are able to identify with the Afghan people better than most of the ISAF nations, making them invaluable partners in this mission.