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