A Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC) supporting both Afghan and Pakistani forces monitoring the Afghan-Pakistani border was opened at ISAF headquarters at Kabul, Afghanistan January 25, 2007.
At the new center, Afghan and Pakistani military officers are working side by side in one facility to support joint campaign planning for operations, intelligence, technical exchange of counter improvised explosive device information and information operations. The JIOC is manned by six Pakistani and six Afghan liaison officers, as well as 12 ISAF staff officers. As members cooperate and collaborate on matters related to border security, the team will produce intelligence reports and distribute them to the intelligence community and as necessary, to other organizations also concerned with border security.
“The JIOC will facilitate critical and timely information needed by the Afghan National Army and Pakistan army units operating along the border to prevent and disrupt insurgent activity common in the eastern and southern areas of Afghanistan,” said Maj. Andrew Zeigler, ISAF’s Government of Afghanistan intelligence representative and facilitator for intelligence sharing between the JIOC, ISAF and the Afghanistan-Pakistan entities. ISAF is currently composed of more than 35,000 troops from 37 NATO countries and non-NATO nations. Its primary role is to support and assist the government of Afghanistan in providing and maintaining a secure environment in order to help in the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
