French soldiers teach mine awareness to local residents

• published: 21 Jul 2015
• views: 0

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++ 1. Wide of French military vehicles in the Gul Dara district of Kabul 2. Various of French soldiers standing 3. Close-up of guns 4. Various of women walking past French soldiers 5. Mid-shot French soldier 6. Various of French soldiers giving mine awareness instructions to villagers 7. Close-up of villagers 8. Close-up of unexploded devices on ground next to soldier 9. SOUNDBITE: (French) name not given, French soldier: "We have to remain vigilant because we have to be prepared for anything. We are after all in a very unstable country where there could be attacks but we are in the French zone and we have had no problems with the population and we have been well received." 10. Wide of French soldier giving mine awareness instruction to villagers 11. SOUNDBITE: (French) name not given, French soldier: "For us it's very important because we have to make people aware - all the future generations - about the ammunition problems so that they don't go play amongst them. So the interest of the forces is to intervene, decontaminate and clean up the zone." 12. Various of villagers attending mine awareness session 13. SOUNDBITE: (Dari) Mullah Gul, villager: "It is very important for us. It is important because our children will not touch these staffs (unexploded devices) and our families will be saved." 14. Various of French military vehicles driving past STORYLINE: French soldiers in Afghanistan drove out to Kabul's Gul Dara district to give instruction in mine awareness to local villagers. Gul Dara, located north of Kabul, used to be the front-line between the Afghan Northern Alliance, a multi-ethnic opposition group, and the ruling Taliban. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, establishing a harsh regime based on strict interpretation of Islamic law, until the US-led invasion ousted the group from power. Many civilians over the years have lost body parts, with some losing their lives, to the mines which were planted during the fighting in the area. "For us it's very important because we have to make people aware - all the future generations - about the ammunition problems so that they don't go play amongst them," said one participating French soldier. He said they had been "well received" by the locals. A number of village elders and boys attended the mine awareness sessions, held by the soldiers. "It is very important for us. It is important because our children will not touch these staffs (unexploded devices) and our families will be saved," said one villager, Mullah Gul. France currently has more than 1,400 troops serving in Afghanistan under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) led force. French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently announced at the NATO summit that the government has decided to send a further 700 troops to Afghanistan. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a98c35812d7c596e4406dc8c833c89f7 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork