New Provincial Reconstruction Team Opens in Khowst

KABUL, Afghanistan (CENTCOM) - The newest Coalition-led Provincial Reconstruction Team officially opened its doors in Khowst today following a ceremony at the site.

The PRT will serve the whole of Khowst Province. This opening represents another step in the PRT expansion process aimed at extending the reach of the Afghan central government by delivering security and dramatically accelerating reconstruction, development, and long-term stability across Afghanistan.

Among those who attended the opening ceremony are Maj. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 180; U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan Deputy Chief of Mission David Sedney; and Afghanistan Minister of Health Maj. Gen. Sohila Sidiq.

The PRT has been operational in Khowst for some time already, integrating the efforts of the Afghan government, the non-governmental organization community and the Coalition as well as setting conditions to enhance security and bring a wide variety of programs and initiatives aimed at enabling and assisting Afghans realize their vision of building a stable, self-sufficient nation. More than $180,000 has been committed to medical clinics, education, security, and construction.

"Wherever provincial reconstruction teams go, security follows," according to Austin. "We're very much engaged in using these PRTs as a way to enhance security in the south and east - working in concert with our military forces stationed in the region and the Afghan government."

PRTs serve as a catalyst for stabilization, building relationships and enabling the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.

Coalition forces and NATO currently operate nearly a dozen other PRTs in Afghanistan, from Herat in the west to Mazar-e-Sharif in the north to Kandahar in the south to Jalalabad in the east. Several more scheduled to open by this summer.

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