News

On May Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lt Gen Arvydas Pocius received a phone call from Chief of Defence of Latvia Maj Gen Raimonds Graube where Latvia's General thanked troops of the Aitvaras Squadron of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces (LITHSOF) for a professional and committed fulfillment of duty in the south of Afghanistan and wished a speedy recovery and return to the line for the three Lithuanian peacekeepers injured in Afghanistan.

On May at approximately 11.00 hrs. (local time) an IED detonated in southern Afghanistan injuring three Lithuanian troops patrolling in an ATV. The injured were taken to war hospital, none of their lives is danger. Families and next of kin of the injured have been notified.

Throughout the following year Lithuanian Special Operations Unit, Movement Control and Average Truck as well as Water Purification Units formed from logistic units will be on standby in NRF.

From the autumn later this year the Lithuanian Special Operations Task Group Aitvaras will be joined by a Latvian Special Operations Forces contingent in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in the south of Afghanistan upon completion of premission training.

October 4, Lt Gen Arvydas Pocius, Chief of Defence of Lithuania, pays a visit to Afghanistan where he is planned to meet with Lithuanian peacekeepers, and representatives of the administration of Ghor province and command of NATO operation in Afghanistan.

"Let me express gratitude to your soldiers and your country for the continued support to the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. Lithuania's contribution is of extreme importance to the success of the mission in Afghanistan, "- write General John R. Allen, Commander of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and Lieutenant General Williams B.Caldwell, Commander of NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan in the letter to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius.

In July Lithuanian Special Operations Forces jointly with the U.S. Special Operations Forces and U.S. Navy SEALS in Lithuania participated in military exercises, exchanged the experience from multinational operations and improved joint operational skills.

In July a new shift of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces (LITHSOF) Squadron Aitvaras began service in Afghanistan. The outgoing rotation was redeployed to Lithuania.

From June 13 to 23 troops of the Special Operations Forces Squadron of the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LITHSOF) are deployed with the multinational Exercise Amber Hope 2011. This is the first time LAF SOF have joined Amber Hope series which has been organised in Lithuania since 1995.

Brig Gen Piotr Patalong, Commander of the Polish Special Operations Forces, met with the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces Command and Maj Gen Arvydas Pocius, Lithuanian Chief of Defence, while on his visit to Lithuania on June 20.