Lithuanian military to participate in six multinational missions in 2015

Lithuanian military personnel will serve in NATO operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Turkey, the EU training mission in Mali, counter-piracy operation in Somalia, and the UN mission in Afghanistan. In 2014, after NATO will complete one of the biggest multinational operations – the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission – number of Lithuanian troops participating in multinational operations in Afghanistan will be gradually decreasing.

Lithuanian troops have been participating in multinational operations in Afghanistan since 2002. During the entire period the mission in Afghanistan has been changing from active security operation to the advisory, training mission. NATO launches new mission – Resolute Support (RS), the main goal of which is to train, advise and support Afghanistan National Security Forces, ministries and other government institutions.

“Continuing our participation in the mission in Afghanistan we show that our soldiers are skilled, capable of sharing experience, manning positions of instructors and communications specialists, as well as positions related to leadership, planning or supervisory duties in a high-level multinational headquarters,” says the Chief of Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Brigadier General Vilmantas Tamošaitis.

In addition, Lithuanian troops in 2015 will take part in an EU training mission in Mali and the EU naval counter-piracy operation ATALANTA at the Somali coast.

Lithuanian military instructors serving at EU training mission in Mali (EUTM MALI) share their knowledge and experience with the local security forces. In 2015 to this mission Lithuania will assign two staff officers and two instructors.