The Romanian military in Afghanistan

Romania has two lost two more soldiers in Afghanistan on Sunday, which puts the death toll of Romanian military killed in this country in the last 11 years to 23.

Leyla Cheamil, 23.09.2013, 13:09

Two Romanian soldiers were killed on Sunday in Afghanistan in the explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED). They died from serious injuries after being taken to hospital. The two non-commissioned officers, aged 28 and 34 respectively, were part of the naval special operations group carrying out a combat mission. The great majority of Romanian military deployed in Afghanistan are stationed in the southern province of Zabul, which is considered a stronghold of Islamic insurgency and possibly the country’s hottest conflict area.

The fact that Romania is trying to restore security to such a dangerous region can be seen from the death toll, which grows every year. 23 Romanian soldiers have been killed and 100 injured in 11 years of Romanian military presence in Afghanistan. The latest incident has again brought to the fore the problems of those who volunteer for missions in Afghanistan, most of whom do it for the money. They risk their lives for 100 euros a day but say they should earn more, depending on their professional background and the risks there are exposed to.

Any misstep could be fatal and they must be on the alert at all time, say some of the military who served in Afghanistan. They say any motorcycle or car with a heavy back load may be booby-trapped and any person who looks agitated or nervous may be the death of them and their colleagues. “Our military are more focused on improvisation, on instinct. Technique kills instincts”, believes a former Romanian mission commander in Afghanistan.

Those who do return after serving in Afghanistan say the constant tension they feel every day for a few months does take its toll on them afterwards. Once they are back in the country, they have to wage a different battle, trying to recover psychologically from their experiences. Many have panic attacks or develop post-traumatic stress disorders.

At the moment, Romania has around 1,000 military in Afghanistan, who are to be pulled out by the end of 2014, when power will be handed over to the local authorities. Praised by both the NATO allies and Kabul, the Romanian military presence in Afghanistan will be accompanied, after 2014, by a significant contribution to this country’s reconstruction. Thus, 200 Romanian soldiers will stay on in Afghanistan and provide training for Afghan troops.