BRUSSELS - General Hilmi Akýn Zorlu, the commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan said on Thursday that the handing over of ISAF command from Turkey in February won't cause any problem.
Noting that the negotiations regarding the taking over the ISAF's command by Germans and the Dutch continue, General Zorlu gave the message that Turkey will do its mission until it hands over the command.
Germany and the Netherlands will take over the ISAF command in February. Belgium will send 160 soldiers to ISAF.
Speaking to La Libre Belgique newspaper, General Zorlu gave information about ISAF and he made certain suggestions to Belgian soldiers who will work in Afghanistan.
Gen. Zorlu said that ISAF under Turkey command gave priority to protect ISAF units against diseases, to keep the lives of soldiers under guarantee and to complete the mission in a professional way, adding that they have not been the target of attacks of organizations such as Al Qaeda or Taliban.
Gen. Zorlu said that there were attacks against civilians in Kabul and that some of them were organized in a very professional way, adding that nobody has assumed any responsibility for these attacks and Afghan police captured the assailants from time to time, but they could not find the persons who guided these assailants.
Zorlu said that the rate of crime is low in Kabul and that the curfew was lifted on November 3 and that women were seen walking in the street at night. Zorlu noted that the U.N. Security Council members don't have the demand of broadening the authority of ISAF outside Kabul.
Zorlu said that Belgian soldiers who will work in ISAF have to be vaccinated, adding that ''smoking during Ramadan can be considered normal in Belgium or Turkey, but it can be considered as a provocative attitude in Kabul.''
A total of 4,800 soldiers are charged in ISAF.