April 27-30, troops of the 12th rotation of the Provincial Reconstruction Team underwent training of suppressing riot in Rukla. Individual and collective training was conducted according the rules of warfare actions.
„The goal of the training was to teach the personnel to employ special means of countering unrest to the end of protecting PRT personnel and controlling local rioters without causing danger to their lives as their security and improvement of their living conditions is our key objective in this mission", - said Commander PRT Operations and Planning Division Maj. Rolandas Putnikas.
In the exercise troops trained skills of using tonfa: wearing and unsheathing it, correct stance and moves. Tonfa is a traditional weapon of Okinawa known throughout the world. Police in many countries use plastic or wooden tonfas as police batons.
PRT-12 military personnel also learned methods of using shields, handcuffs, and other special means. The training was conducted in line with special tactics of the Public Security Service.
Further in the pre-mission training PRT-12 personnel will complete tasks likely to be encountered in the mission area. Situations in every pre-mission training are modelled on the basis of previous experience in multinational operations. PRT-12 will undergo certification for the ISAF mission exercise in September.
The 12th rotation of the Lithuanian-led PRT of Ghowr based on Algirdas Battalion's military personnel will be deployed to the half-year duty in Afghanistan in November.
The Lithuanian-led PRT of Ghowr is a joint civilian-military mission operating under the mandate NATO's ISAF. Lithuania deployed a PRT in Ghowr in summer of 2005. The main mission of the PRT is assisting Afghan Government in extending authority in the province, ensuring security and creating conditions for provincial reconstruction.
PIO for PRT-12 1st Lt. Ainaras Jonaitis
Pictures by MSgt. Gintaras Gulbinas
