ISAF will assist Afghanistan in development: ISAF X

Kabul, Feb 7(UNI) The first priority of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), now under US command, will be to facilitate reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, an ISAF spokesperson Colonel Tom Collins said today.

Colonel Tom Collins was addressing the first press conference of ISAF X.

Mr Collins said, ''The focus is not on combat operations per se, but as the government was helped to extend its writ into areas where it had not been, there was bound to be friction with those opposed to the government, including the Taliban,'' Col Collins said.

There has been talk of a possible change in tactics of the ISAF under the US command, with the US expected to go for a harder approach. Perhaps, in order to allay these apprehensions, the ISAF insisted that security operations would become the underpinning of the reconstruction and development.

On the developments in Musa Qala, Mr Collins said, ''There was no need to rush into action as there were no Taliban forces nor were there violence against the people''. The government was exhibiting maturity and judgment by not rushing into action because doing so may cause civilian casualties. Only 200 people had left the area so far, he added.

The ISAF command changed from the British to the Americans in a handover ceremony on February four when ISAF 9 completed its nine month tenure.

The handover from ISAF 9 saw all international forces in Afghanistan coming under military command of the US. However, the ISAF forces will remain under NATO command under the US while the Coalition Forces will remain under direct US army command.

UNI