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Week 48-51: More responsibility to Norwegian guards
Russian authorities will close down five out of fourteen guard stations on the border to Norway. This means that guards at the Norwegian posts will have to increase their surveillance of the border.
By Espen Schiager, National Joint Headquarters (NJHQ)
| | Captain Stian Sørensen, chief of the Norwegian border guards. Photo: Fredrik Ringe |
Until now, Russian guards have stopped most of the flow of people trying to get across from Russia into Norway.
- Yes, this will give us a greater challenge. We need to get our act together, Captain Stian Sørensen, chief of the Norwegian border guards, says.
- It is important to underline that our guard post has never been up to the standards it is today, adds Sørensen.
No injuries in suicide bombing in Afghanistan
An improvised bomb was detonated close to two Norwegian military vehicles in Kabul on Friday 16 December. No Norwegian soldiers were injured in the attack.
The two vehicles, one of which did not have armour, were patrolling a street in Kabul when the car with the explosives blew up close to them. Five soldiers were in the vehicles, none of which were injured.
Effective Anglo-Norwegian cooperation
Exercise Nordic Shield 05 took place at Ørland Main Air Station during the first three weeks of December. The exercise involved around 600 Brits, 200 Norwegians and about 20 Danes.
The British Joint Task Force Headquarters was trained in this computer assisted exercise to establish a stronghold in an African country where civil war was law and where genocide was highly likely. In close cooperation with UN representatives and several non-governmental organisations, the headquarters was trained in handling the crisis in the best and most effective manner.
| | Brigader General Graham Stacy and Colonel Jan Østbø during Nordic Shield. Photo: Espen Schiager |
- Nordic Shield involves a complicated scenario, where civilian organisations are emphasised, says Colonel Jan Østbø, the Norwegian exercise controller.
The British exercise director, Air Commodore Graham Stacey, is very pleased with the result.
- If I were to go on a real mission in Africa, I would take this team with me. The exercise has been excellent without a single hitch, and the British and Norwegians have learnt a lot from each other, he says.
Last Norwegian troops home from Iraq
The Norwegian contribution to the rebuilding of Iraq has officially ended. The last Norwegian troops returned home on Sunday 18 December.
Defence state secretary Espen Barth Eide, who was present at the medal ceremony for the returning Norwegian officers, has only good things to say about the mission after all the positive feedback it has received.
- These are people who ran a great personal risk for a mission, and they deserve an award, he said.
Chief of defence Sverre Diesen also praised the effort of the Norwegian officers.
- The effort has been remarkable. Our allies have expressed their satisfaction with the work that our officers have done, General Diesen said.
Prime Minister visits Kabul
| | The Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg during his visit in Afghanistan. Photo: Knut Grandhagen |
The Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg visited the Norwegian troops in Kabul during his state visit to Afghanistan on Friday 9 December.
Stoltenberg used the opportunity to speak to the soldiers and express his gratitude for the work they do.
- When I am travelling the world on state visits, it is the picture of Norway as a peace-building nation which is drawn everywhere. You and your efforts are the main elements of that picture, the Prime Minister said.
- The Norwegian ISAF soldiers have time and time again proved that they are the best in the world, he added.
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