Romanian Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan

Eight Romanian soldiers on a mission to Afghanistan were wounded on Monday in a suicide attack

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Ştefan Stoica, 02.05.2018, 12:48

The 1st of May holiday in Romania was overshadowed by the news coming in from Afghanistan. On Monday, eight military from the 30th Carpathian Eagle Force Protection Battalion based in Campulung-Muscel (south) were wounded in a suicide attack, during a mission carried out in their area of responsibility. After 24 hours in the care of the medical staff at the Kandahar base, 7 of them were released from hospital and returned to their base. The 8th military was flown to Germany for additional medical evaluation. He suffered injuries on his right arm, but his general condition is good.

The Romanian convoy was in a village near the airport in Kandahar when a suicide attacker blew himself up in a car. Many children were in the area at the time, and 11 of them were killed in the attack. According to the local police, the explosion occurred when the Romanian military were outside the armoured vehicle they used for patrolling. The Presidents office, the Government and Parliament sent messages of support to the Romanian soldiers wounded in the attack and to their families. The US ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, also sent the eight soldiers his and his countrys appreciation for their service as part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan. He said the brave Romanian soldiers took part in many missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo to bring freedom and democracy to areas affected by war.

The Romanian military from Campulung Muscel are on a mission from February to August this year. Their responsibilities generally include the protection of the force at the army air base in Kandahar and the training, counselling and assistance of the Afghan National Forces. The army unit in Campulung Muscel also carried out missions in Kosovo, in 2005 and 2007, and in Afghanistan, in 2008. Romania contributes 625 staff to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. 300 others are deployed in operations under the EU, UN and OSCE command in other regions. 29 Romanian military have been killed in foreign missions so far, and 185 others have been wounded.

The security situation in Afghanistan continues to be unstable, with most incidents taking place in the provinces in the east and south of the country. The NATO forces ensuring the security of the military bases and the most important centres in the country are permanent targets for possible attacks by insurgents. (translated by Cristina Mateescu)