Ministry of National Defence
Press release No. 242 05.08.2017
Incident in Afghanistan

A team of Romanian soldiers that was carrying out transport and escort patrol missions of a Security Force Advisory and Assistance Team (SFAAT) in a Joint Regional Afghan Center (JRAC) near Kandahar, on Saturday, August 5, was forced to open fire against insurgents wearing Afghan police uniforms , at about 09.35 hrs., Romania time.

As a consequence of the fire exchange, an insurgent was killed, another one was injured, whereas a Romanian soldier suffered a light injury of the forearm.

The Romanian soldier was given medical care on site, then transported to the closest medical facility. He is in a stable condition, the wound posing no life endangering threat.

At present, the soldier is back to his unit.


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The Romanian soldiers, known as Lupii Negri (Black Wolves) belong to the Infantry and Forces Protection Battalion of Iasi that were deployed in Afghanistan in February.

In 2017, 626 Romanian troops are involved in NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, while other 300 are deployed in operations under NATO, EU, UN and OSCE command or mandate.

During the missions abroad, 28 soldiers died, while 180 others were injured.

The security situation in the theater of operations of Afghanistan continues to be unstable with most incidents occuring in the Eastern and Southern provinces of Afghanistan.

The NATO forces ensuring the security of military bases and the important centers of the country continue to be targets of possible insurgent attacks.

Romania continues its commitments in Afghanistan within the NATO-led mission Resolute Support. The main effort continues to be focused on ensuring the force protection in the military base in Kandahar, while continuing to participate in training, counseling and assisting the Afghan Security Forces in the regional commands North and South.

Press Department