Wikipedia

Multi National Base Tarin Kot

(Redirected from Camp Holland)

Multi National Base Tarin Kot is a former International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) installation, used after the Netherlands Armed Forces' departure by the Afghan National Army. The base was located on the outskirts of Tarinkot, the capital of Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan.[1]

Multi National Base Tarin Kot
Tarinkot, Tarinkot District, Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan
NATO helicopters taking off at Tarinkot Airport in 2013
Tarin Kot is located in Afghanistan
Tarin Kot
Tarin Kot
Shown within Afghanistan
Coordinates32°36′50″N 65°52′00″E / 32.61389°N 65.86667°E / 32.61389; 65.86667
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defense (Afghanistan)
OperatorAfghan Armed Forces
Previous OperatorsAustralian Army
Royal Netherlands Army
United States Marine Corps
Site history
Built2004 (2004)
In use2004 - March 2020 (2020)
FateHanded to Afghan Control
EventsJuly 2005 Afghan captive incident
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
12/30 2,225 metres (7,300 ft) Concrete
Expanded August 2006

Under the previous operators the base was used by multiple states including the Netherlands and Australia.

The base was divided into multiple areas:

  • Camp Russell (Australia's Special Operations Task Group)[2][3][4][5]
  • Camp Holland[2]
  • On the opposite side of the runway is Tarinkot Airport, all sites use the same runway

History

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The site was initially Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ripley which used by the United States Marine Corps, and in 2005/6 it was expanded to create "Kamp Holland".[citation needed]

In December 2009 approximately 1,300 Dutch and 390 Australian personnel were stationed at Kamp Holland.

The base was closed in mid-March 2020 due to the American forces' drawdown.

Task Force Uruzgan

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The first group of Dutch military personnel left for Afghanistan in March 2006 in the Deployment Task Force (DTF). They were the quartermasters for the following Dutch forces of the Task Force Uruzgan (TFU) becoming operational in August 2006.

The average strength was 1,200 personnel split over the locations "Tarinkot" and "Deh Rawod".

As the Task Force Uruzgan was a composite unit it consisted of various units and specialties of the Dutch armed forces. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Special Forces and Military Police personnel were completely integrated in the TFU.

The core of the TFU was the Battlegroup, consisting of infantry - Dutch Airmobile or Marines Battalion - and some 155mm mechanized howitzers for fire support. In case the Battlegroup needed close air support, the Dutch Air Task Force – consisting of F-16 multiroles stationed at Kandahar Airfield and AH-64D Apache combat helicopters stationed at Tarinkot – were tasked with providing it.

Key

Units

  • TFU-1. 11th Airmobile Brigade; August 2006 until January 2007 under Colonel T. Vleugels
  • TFU-2. 13th Mechanized Brigade; February to July 2007 under Colonel H. van Griensven
  • TFU-3. 11th Airmobile Brigade; August 2007 until January 2008 under Colonel N. Geerts
  • TFU-4. 43rd Mechanized Brigade; February to July 2008 under Colonel R. van Harskamp
  • TFU-5. 11th Airmobile Brigade; August 2008 until January 2009 under Colonel C. Matthijssen
  • TFU-6. 13th Mechanized Brigade; February to July 2009 under Brigadier General T. Middendorp
    • TFE-8. 12th Infantry Battalion (Air Assault); December 2008 to March 2009
    • TFE-9. 11th Tank Battalion Regiment Hussars of Sytzama; April to July 2009
    • PRT-6. 101st CIS battalion; October 2008 to March 2009
  • TFU-7. 11th Airmobile Brigade; August 2009 to January 2010 under Brigadier General Marc van Uhm
    • TFE-10. 17th Infantry Battalion "Prinses Irene Fusiliers"; August to November 2009
    • PRT-7. 11 Section Horse Artillery; April to September 2009
  • TFU-8. 43rd Mechanized Brigade; February to July 2010 under Brigadier K. van den Heuvel
    • TFE-11. 13th Infantry Regiment Stoottroepen Prins Bernhard (Air Assault); December 2009 to March 2010
    • TFE-12. 42nd Infantry Battalion "Limburgse Jagers" + 13th Infantry Company Marines; April to July 2010
    • PRT-8. 43rd Restoration Company; October 2009 to March 2010
    • PRT-9. 1 CIMIC battalion; April to September 2010
  • 2012
    • 3-58th Airfield Operations Battalion, known as TF Guardian
  • 2013
    • 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment during January 2013

Australian operations

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An important item of the overall mission was the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). The PRT was responsible for the supervision of all technical and logistical support to rebuild the Afghan province of Uruzgan. The PRT was part of ISAF and was placed under NATO command.

From their Regional Kandahar Headquarters, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom took 6-month turns in commanding all NATO military personnel spread over the area.

The Australian 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) was also based at Camp Holland.

MRTF-2 was engaged in reconstruction, mentoring and security operations in Uruzgan Province.

The bulk of the MRTF was composed of elements from the 3rd Brigade (Australia) (Townsville), with support elements drawn from the 1st Brigade (Australia) (Darwin) and from the Navy and Air Force.

MRTF-2 included 2 Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) whose mission was to assist in the development of the 4th Brigade of the Afghan National Army. Australian soldiers that operated in the OMLTs lived with, trained and provided support to their Afghan National Army colleagues in patrol bases in Uruzgan Province. In so doing, the OMLTs continued to develop the capability of the 2nd Afghan Kandak and the 4th Afghan Kandak.

MRTF-2 also included two Combat Teams (CT) which undertook security operations within Uruzgan Province in order to enhance the security environment in the province. These CT's were operationally integrated in the Dutch Battlegroup.

The following units were also here:[6]

  • Combined Team Uruzgan
  • Force Support Unit
  • Force Communication Unit

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Son of Top Dutch General Is Killed in Afghanistan (Published 2008)". The New York Times. Associated Press. 19 April 2008. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Joint Transition milestone in Uruzgan Province". Asia Pacific Security Magazine. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Special Operations Task Group Memorial : Camp Russell, Afghanistan". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Camp Russell in 2012". ABC News. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Bored Diggers pump iron at gym after being confined to main base in Tarin Kowt". Nationwide News (News.com.au). Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Multi National Base – Tarin Kot historical artefacts". Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 4 September 2021.
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