Colonel Jim Ellis speaks: CF Task Force Kabul in Afghanistan

By LCol (Ret) J.C. Berezowski

One of the first international actions against terrorism after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade centre in New York was in Afghanistan. The United States led an international force against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in late 2001. Canada was part of that war and continues as part of Operation ATHENA. As such, Canada’s Task Force Kabul was directly responsible for providing much of the security in that nation’s capital, Kabul, during the recent election of Afghanistan’s first elected president, Hamid Karzai.

RUSI VI members at our luncheon meeting on Wed., March 9 were particularly fortunate to hear first hand from the commander, Col Jim Ellis who had just returned from Kabul. He was assisted by Maj Steve Kelsey, his chief of staff during the previous six and half months in Afghanistan. (The Commander Western Area, BGen Stuart Beare was unable to speak as previously scheduled.)

Even today, with Afghanistan still beset by political disorder, a significant insurgency and major drug trafficking, the Afghan War is largely seen around the world as a success. Col. Ellis and Maj. Kelsey proceeded to explain the reasons why and the part played by Canadian soldiers in this process, appropriately enhanced by power point pictures.

DND Photo. Col Ellis opened by stressing that while the 1994 UN Protection Force in Bosnia was difficult, Kabul was worse. TF Kabul provided significant capabilities to the Kabul Multinational Brigade, in replacing the former Canadian battalion battle group.

Maj Kelly reviewed the environment within the task force area of operations. Kabul was said to be the historic crossroads that for centuries past was used by the silk trade, by Attila the Hun, by Genghis Khan and others.

At 8,000 feet elevation, Kabul is a location of temperature extremes from 30 Celsius in the summer to fool’s snow at zero. The entire city consists of two or three storey-high mud buildings – some 200 years old. Considerable damage has been inflicted on the city with a population of 2.5 million people. Kabul is divided in two by a mountain range. Utilities such as electricity and water are provided on a rotating basis and the plumbing is outdoors.

The Canadian contribution, called Op ATHENA, consists of 700 in TF Kabul and over 200 in support at Camp Julien. The task force is built around the Reconnaissance Squadron (recce sqn) of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) reinforced by an embedded recce platoon from the 3^rd Battalion, PPCLI. They also had a Slovenian long range recce patrol of 19 attached under operational control.

Logistical support for TF Kabul was on wheels and self-contained giving the TF optimum mobility.

11 Field Engineer Squadron, RCE were integral to the task force. With the PPCLI Recce Platoon, they patrolled routes for explosives for the bomb squad’s disposal.

The National Support Element in Camp Julien was protected by B Coy, 1 PPCLI through gate watch, roving patrols and observation posts and a quick reaction force. It included a HQ, medical, dental, food services and an Intelligence Centre. Camp Julien was said to be the envy of the other nations with the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Col Ellis considered the tactical employment on the ground around Kabul as most dangerous at all times confronting: suicide bombers, rockets, improvised explosive devices (IED), remote controlled improvised explosives, robotic and vehicle-borne IEDs, as well as the body borne IEDs.

Col Ellis emphasized that security was only achieved through constant vigilance by all ranks.

The major event during the tour of the TF was the presidential election and the subsequent inauguration, according to the former TF commander.

Another major operation was conducted to deter against rocket attacks. This continuous nighttime surge saw patrols moving to high-threat areas of Kabul. As a testament to the dedication of Recce soldiers, TFK and ISAF, there was stretch of 41 days without a successful rocket attack. The TF was faced with many attacks. However, Col Ellis said good communications and effective junior NCOs on the ground minimized the damage. He stressed that the TF succeeded in developing a good all-source intelligence cell and early warning monitoring. Human intelligence was seen as key to counter-insurgency operations. This started at the lowest levels of the force and as trust developed between the junior ranks and the locals, more and more timely information accrued.

He said intelligence led his mission and it was 70 per cent human intelligence. He felt it was important to train a future task force in these areas before being deployed. He also attributed success to the fact that as Task Force commander, he was responsible for all tactical, operational and strategic levels of the mission. He also considered embedded media with the troops a good thing.

Col Ellis, a former commanding officer of the LDSH (RC), said the task force system used in Kabul worked. However, there was little latitude. His policy was that there was no walking outside the camp without body armour and weapons. When bunkered down in shelters for long periods, there was a need for information to be passed to those individuals. Fraternization and discipline (liquor) did not present any significant disciplinary problems.

Col Ellis is returning to Edmonton as Chief of Staff, Western Area HQ.

In a separate interview with the Maple Leaf after the election last month, President Hamid Karzai was asked if he had a message for ISAF personnel serving in Afghanistan. He responded with a message of gratitude. He said: "It has come at tremendous cost, the cost of lives. That is something that we will remember forever in this country."

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