The highest ranking in Afghanistan will leave the command of the coalition

KABUL, Afghanistan – Major-General Robin Fontes, who last year held the highest position of women in the war in Afghanistan, is replaced by the commander of Combined Security Transition Command- Afghanistan, confirmed Thursday the NATO.

In a statement, the NATO support mission in his country described his departure as "normal rotation", but sources close to the CSEC-A were surprised at this news, as it was expected that Mr. Fontes remains at the command of the command until next summer.

A US official told Stars and Stripes Thursday that Fontes would be replaced by Major-General James Rainey, probably in a few weeks. Resolute support was unable to immediately confirm the timing or name of the successor.

Rainey was posted to the Pentagon in January as deputy chief of the deputy chief of the army. Before that, he commanded the 3rd Infantry Division. Rainey also served as deputy commander of US forces in Afghanistan and commander of Bagram airfield.

CSEC-A, tasked with strengthening the Afghan security forces, is considered one of the most important commands of the NATO mission.

Fontes was widely respected by the military and diplomatic communities in Kabul. However, the Afghan security forces that his command has helped train are still unable to secure the country by themselves after 17 years of war. Insurgents hold or dispute more of the country's territory than at any time since the 2001 invasion, according to the Pentagon and independent analyzes.

The change in CSEC-A comes about a month after General Scott Miller took command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, replacing General John Nicholson.

On Thursday, General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, dismissed suggestions that the replacement of Fonts was part of a new approach to the war by Miller.

"I expect General Miller and the upcoming team to continue to address this issue with the same vigor as General Nicholson and General Fontes," Votel told reporters at the Pentagon over the phone. CENTCOM of Tampa.

"I consider it's a kind of normal rotation of leadership," Votel added.

Fontes took command of CSEC-A in July 2017. The mission typically lasts a year, but NATO officials in Kabul told Stars and Stripes that the two-star general had volunteered to stay for another year.

Speaking at a ceremony last month, Mr. Fontes expressed his satisfaction of being in Afghanistan.

"I have lived and worked in this area for 13 of my 32 year career in the army and I can honestly say that there is no such thing. another time when I would rather be in Afghanistan than today, "she said.

In November, at the request of Stars and Stripes regarding the status of women in uniform of the war's highest war, Fontes responded that she wanted to be judged on her work within the command.

Fontes' mission was to assist Afghan military officials in a deeply patriarchal country. However, Afghan and US officials spoke of constructive working relationships throughout the year.

"I am very familiar with Major-General Fontes and she has always been very cooperative," said an Afghan Defense Ministry official at Stars and Stripes about leaving Fontes. He asked to remain anonymous because he had not yet been informed of the decision.

"I just hope his replacement is as good," said the manager.

Under the direction of Fonts, CSEC-A assisted with the delivery of the first UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Afghanistan and collaborated with the Afghanistan Ministry of Finance to better show international donors how and why where their money is spent.

However, US-led military and development assistance has yet to break the stalemate with the Taliban and other insurgents.

In August, a military base in northern Faryab province fell to the Taliban because their troops were short of ammunition, food and water despite demands for supplies, a US official told Stars and Stripes.

Also in August, Afghan forces fought off other Taliban fighters who launched an attack on the strategic city of Ghazni, located less than 160 km from Kabul. The insurgents had sunk deep into the city and American air support was needed to repel them.

Catharine Giordano, Corey Dickstein and Zubair Babakarkhail contributed to this report.

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