Map of Afghanistan
The town of Bamian, in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan is where the NZ PRT is located. Kiwi Base and the airfield are to the south of the valley and the main township and bazaar (shopping centre) is located to the north of Kiwi Base.
In winter (Dec-Mar), the surrounding mountains and valleys are covered in snow. The township of Bamian is at an altitude close to 2,550m above sea level (Mt Ruapehu is 2,997m and some of the mountain passes are as high as Mt Cook/Aorangi).
NZDF personnel make up the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZ PRT) in Afghanistan. The nineteenth rotation, led by Senior Military Advisor LT Col Brett Wellington, arrived in Afghanistan in October 2011 and will remain in Afghanistan for approximately six months.
The government has announced that New Zealand's commitment to Afghanistan will be in place until approximately 2014.
The Bamyan Valley (which runs east- west) and the northern side of the valley, taken from the hilltop citadel of Gholghola.
The New Zealand National Support Element (NSE) is based at Bagram Air Force Base (BAF) about an hour and a half (60km) drive north of Kabul. Their task is to provide logistical support to the NZ PRT at Kiwi Base in Bamyan and other NZDF personnel in Afghanistan.
Five NZDF personnel are in the Middle East to provide a support mechanism for NZDF force elements deployed to Afghanistan and to assist co-located coalition partners.
NZDF contribution to the United Nations Assistance Mission Afghanistan (UNAMA) is one officer. The officer works as a Military Liaison Officer (MLO) providing the strategic interface between multi-national forces and Afghan authorities.
For more information: UNAMA - Overview
ISAF: Kabul
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Afghanistan. NZDF has four staff officers and a driver attached to HQ ISAF. The senior NZ officer works on policy and planning within the ISAF HQ.
HQ CJTF: Kabul
Two staff officers to HQ Coalition Joint Task Force (HQ CJTF 76) and Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan (CFC-A).
SAS: Kabul
There are 38 support personnel and NZSAS in Kabul working with the Afghanistan National Police Crisis Response Unit.