ZAGREB, August 25, 2018 – Croatian President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović visited on Friday Croatian troops stationed in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, and serving there in NATO’s Resolute Support mission, telling them that by contributing to efforts to establish peace, stability and security in that country, they were also protecting Croatia’s security.
The eighth Croatian contingent serving in the mission in Afghanistan is about to end its six-month stint and in two weeks, it will be replaced by the ninth contingent.
“Over the past 16 years in Afghanistan, Croatian men and women soldiers have demonstrated exceptional competence, preparedness and interoperability. They have shown that they can cooperate with troops from other NATO members and are ready to respond to any threat,” Grabar-Kitarović said, presenting Croatian soldiers with NATO medals for their contribution to the Resolute Support mission.
Croatia joined NATO in 2009 but has participated in peace-keeping and peace-building missions since 2003.
Grabar-Kitarović said that there were still enemies of peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and Southeast and Central Asia, and that there existed security threats, notably the threat of terrorism, against Croatia, Europe and the EU which, she said, could protect itself from terrorist actions only through concerted action, exchange of information and cooperation on preventing such attacks.
She also recalled that global security threats resulted in illegal migrations, people, arms and drug smuggling, and other types of illegal activity.
This was the Croatian president’s third visit to Afghanistan since the start of her term in office.
More than 100 members of the Croatian Army are advising Afghan military and police forces as part of the noncombat operation launched in 2015 and involving around 16,000 troops from 39 countries – members of NATO and partner countries.
