The Royal Air Force provided safe transport on 26 November for a delegation from the Northern Alliance attending the UN-sponsored conference being held in Bonn on 27 November to take forward the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Other delegates to the conference were able to travel from various locations around the world.  But the Northern Alliance needed to depart from an area that has so recently been in the front line.  Bagram airfield provided a secure departure point, but the very bad state of the airfield meant that only military transport aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, with aircrew experienced in operating from austere facilities, would prove a suitable means of transport.  The use of a military transport aircraft also offered better security for the delegation.

The UK offered to provide transport, given its commitment to supporting the UN-sponsored conference and the wider efforts to help the Afghan people rebuild their country after so many years of conflict.

The Northern Alliance delegation were seen off by Stephen Evans, the British representative in Afghanistan.  The representatives later transferred to an RAF TriStar jet transport to complete their journey to Bonn.

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