ISAF Joint Command in Afghanistan Formally Ceases Operations

From an International Security Assistance Force News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 8, 2014 – International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, which has handled day-to-day operations in Afghanistan for five years, formally cased its colors during a ceremony today at the command’s headquarters at Kabul International Airport.

The ceremony symbolizes the end of the ISAF Joint Command mission.

"Today, IJC will be subsumed into a coalition that is soon downsizing to about 13,000 personnel," said Army Gen. John F. Campbell, ISAF commander. "This is a historic transformation and reflects the progress that our coalition has made with our Afghan partners.

“As the Afghan National Security Forces have become increasingly capable,” he continued, “we shift our focus from combat operations to building [Afghan] systems and processes to ensure long-term sustainability.”

Full Partnership With Afghan, NATO Forces

Working in full partnership with Afghan national security forces and NATO partner nations, ISAF Joint Command’s mission was to conduct population-centric comprehensive operations to neutralize the insurgency and support improved governance and development to protect the Afghan people and provide a secure environment for sustainable peace.

“You’ve done your job well -- so well that you’ve worked yourself out of a job,” Campbell told members of the joint command at the casing ceremony.

The International Security Assistance Force is transitioning to the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, which begins Jan. 1. Resolute Support will focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan security institutions and Afghan national security forces at the ministerial, institutional and operational levels.