SBS Chief Political Correspondent Karen Middleton and cameraman Jeff Kehl spent time during August embedded with the Australian Defence Force in Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan, putting together reports for SBS's World News Australia and Dateline.
Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the US and the subsequent US-led war in Afghanistan, her reports for SBS News take a look at Australia's role in the military deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. (The reports below appeared on SBS nightly bulletins in recent weeks and are in reverse chronological order).
Karen's report for Dateline will be broadcast on a special edition of the program marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11, on Sunday 11th September at 8.30pm on SBS ONE. Yalda Hakim will present live from Ground Zero, with reports from New York and Iraq, as well as Afghanistan. Find out more on the Dateline website.
FROM FOE TO FREIND
In August 2011, Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai appointed Matiullah Khan as the chief of police for Uruzgan province. The one-time warlord with a dark past is Australia's new best friend, the go-to man for Australian forces there.
WATCH: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MATIULLAH KHAN:
The SBS crew on assignment with troops in Afghanistan were in the country during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which came during the searing August heat. It was a challenging time for the Afghan soldiers as they followed a punishing daily military schedule, with nothing to eat or drink until dark.
WATCH: AFGHAN SOLDIERS OBSERVE RAMADAN
As Aussie troops in Afghanistan mourn fallen commerade Private Matthew Lambert, Afghan military leaders have apologised for an earlier Australian death at the hands of one of their own soldiers.
Lance Corporal Andrew Jones was shot dead in May by Afghan soldier Shafid Ullah Guhlamon, whom the Australians had been mentoring. Karen Middleton visited Combat Outpost Mashal in the Baluchi Valley when Lance Corporal Jones died.
WATCH: MESS NAMED AFTER SHOT COMRADE:
Just two days after an Australian soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, Australian forces came under attack again. This time a rocket was fired at the base at Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province.
WATCH: AUSSIE FORCES ATTACKED:
While Karen was on assignment in Afghanistan news came through that an Ausralian solider serving with the mentoring taskforce had been killed while on a night patrol. The death is the 29th Australian killed in Afghanistan.
WATCH: AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
In an interview with SBS Radio, Karen explains what the conditions are like in this part of Afghanistan.
In another report Karen joined a morning foot patrol through the village of Chora, a community plagued by on-going violence. Afghan soldiers are starting to take the lead in security operations in Uruzgan province, as their Australian mentors work towards a 2014 security handover.
WATCH: AFGHAN SOLDIERS TAKING THE LEAD
Karen Middleton reports from a patrol base near Chora, where the security situation is fragile.
WATCH: SECURITY FRAGILE IN CHORA
Karen Middleton and Jeff Kehl travelled with Australian troops to the Baluchi Valley, where they spoke to village elders about the war and what the future holds for them. They say Australia should expand its development projects in the country.
WATCH: ELDERS WELCOME AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Australian soldiers based in Afghanistan face a big challenge to win over the hearts and minds of local people. One way has been through development projects. Locals and soldiers who travel between Tarin Kowt and the Chora Valley used to have a rocky, two-day drive through rugged and dangerous terrain. With the help of ADF soldiers that road has now been sealed and while it's still dangerous, it's made life much easier for everyone.
WATCH: BUILDING ROADS, WINNING FRIENDS
Earlier, Karen spoke to the Governor of the Uruzgan Province three weeks after a suicide bomb attack on the compound which killed 19 people including 12 children. Omar Shirzad said the "highly organised" attack has deeply affected the rural community but rebuilding has already begun in defiance of the Taliban.
WATCH: URUZGAN GOVNERNOR'S COMPOUND ATTACKED
Colonel Bob Akam is the US Commander in Uruzgan province. SBS' Karen Middleton began by asking him about 'fragile progress' in the region.
WATCH: INTERVIEW WITH THE U.S. COMMANDER IN URUZGAN
This assignment saw Karen Middleton return to Tarin Kowt, from where she reported on Australia's role in the war in Afghanistan four years ago. She describes how the military base and the town have changed, particularly in light of increased insurgent attacks in the area.
WATCH: REPORT FROM TARIN KOWT
Australian troops have had a presence in Afghanistan for almost a decade, with no date set for a complete withdrawal.
WATCH: 10 YEARS OF WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
Australian troops were deployed to Iraq under the Howard government eight years ago. The decision to join then US President George W Bush's coalition to remove Saddam Hussein was controversial. The withdrawal of a final contingent of Australian troops from Iraq recently was a low-key affair.
WATCH: AUSTRALIAN TROOPS LEAVE IRAQ
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