AUSTRALIA OUTLINES SPECIAL OPS IN AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001259

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018
TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA OUTLINES SPECIAL OPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor W. Davies Sohier for reasons
1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) Australian Special Operations Commander, Major
General Tim McOwan, held a special media briefing on
Australia's Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) activities
in Oruzgan Province on December 11. He highlighted the
effectiveness of SOTG efforts to create an improved security
environment for ordinary Afghans that also permits continued
development activities to increase their well-being. He
described SOTG results as placing Taliban leaders "on the
run" and advised that the Taliban no longer take on SOTG in
direct actions. He denied a degradation of relations with
local Afghans following the accidental death of Rozi Khan.
MG McOwan reinforced Taliban ruthlessness and disregard for
moral or ethical standards in their methods of warfare, and
point out their continued use of Western media reports as
propaganda.


2. (U) MG McOwan described the SOTG's mission as focused on
the capture or killing of Taliban leadership and IED
perpetrators. In doing so, he rejected accusations of SOTG
activities as assassinations and cautioned that Australian
rules of engagement require positive identification of
targets and avoidance of civilian casualties. He shared that
several missions have been aborted in adhering to these
rules. MG McOwan explained that detainees are transferred to
the Afghan government, reinforcing local judicial procedures,
and that they are monitored on an ongoing basis by the
International Committee of the Red Cross. He also observed
that the Australian public is both proud and supportive of
the work of Australian forces in Afghanistan.


3. (C/NF) COMMENT: Post notes that this briefing - the
first by the Special Operations Command for several years -
may be timed to encourage continued public support for Afghan
operations at a time when local press is both suggesting
possible increased Australian participation and reporting
public polls that show waning support. In addition to
activities with purely military objectives, MG McOwan
provided examples of how other security activities have
directly supported improving Afghan quality of life, such as
the transport and installation of a turbine engine for a
regional dam. He also took special care to explain
Australian handling of detainees and how decisions are made
on capture vice kill, refuting the most aggressive charges of
SOTG actions as assassinations. End comment.

MCCALLUM