A good day in Afgan

Geordie_3

Well-Known Member
British and Afghan troops launch dawn raid in Helmand 19/03/2012 A dawn raid by British and Afghan troops in Helmand province has struck a blow at the insurgency in Afghanistan. The elite Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) joined forces with the Warthog Group to strike at an insurgent headquarters in the north of Task Force Helmand's area of operations. A number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), some ordnance, and several weapons were recovered in the operation.Local insurgents had been targeting British and American troop bases to the north of the bustling city of Gereshk and laying IEDs on the vital road between Gereshk, Sangin and the Helmand power plant at the Kajaki Dam.Intelligence suggested that the insurgents believed they were safe because their headquarters were on the far side of a large canal.But the BRF, comprising soldiers from the Queen's Dragoon Guards and 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, swept in on their position in a two-pronged assault with the Warthog Group.The 90-strong BRF caught the insurgents off guard in a helicopter-borne dawn assault on suspect compounds on the far side of the canal, as the Warthog armoured vehicles, which can carry troops into the heart of battle, stormed in to stamp out an insurgent attempt to rally to attack the BRF from the near side of the canal.A third group of insurgents attempted to reach a position on the high ground to target the British troops, but Warrior armoured vehicles from the Armoured Infantry Platoon, manned by troops from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (3 YORKS), thundered in to provide overwatch for the BRF assault and the Taliban scouts fled.While soldiers secured the perimeter the BRF and Royal Engineer Search Teams discovered a Taliban weapons cache, including a Dragunov sniper rifle - a 'prestige' weapon to insurgents.The troops also found an AK-47 machine gun, 29 grenades, some rocket-propelled grenade rounds, mortars, ammunition, and a haul of IED-making equipment, including 11 low-metal-content pressure plates designed to be difficult to detect in the ground.Troops from the Afghan National Army that partner the BRF on all operations spoke to local civilians to gather information on the insurgency.The most dangerous time in the operation came during the extraction, as the BRF troops had to be recovered back over the canal - over a 21-metre-wide gap.Soldiers from the Pioneer Platoon of 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment quickly deployed an infantry assault bridge but the Taliban spotted the bridge being deployed and tried to move into position to attack exposed troops. However, they were again forced back by the 3 YORKS Warrior platoon and a mix of US Cobra gunships and UK Apache helicopters.Major Chris Wildman, Officer Commanding the Warthog Squadron, said:"This was the first time Task Force Helmand had done an operation of this type on this scale before."Having the Warrior Platoon and the Pioneer Platoon under command was a new concept and worked exceptionally well. The Pioneer Platoon got the bridge set in record time and the 3 YORKS boys were outstanding in keeping the Taliban away from the bridge."BRF troop leader Captain Nicholas Garland said:"Yet again the BRF and Warthog Group were able to remove large quantities of lethal weapons from the Taliban in what would normally be considered a battle-group-level operation. "The speed at which the bridge went in was astonishing, far quicker than they managed at rehearsals and a really outstanding effort from the infantry."Over 12 different cap badges were involved in this rapid strike into what the Taliban considered a safe haven, with the troops leaving the locals without a single shot being fired."
 
Great to HEAR some good news from Afgan, all too often it's only the bad news we hear, fantastic news.

Well done lads

Andy
 
I'm slightly perplexed by all this "swooping" and "thundering" about, while various gangs of insurgents mill about scouting and "attempting to reach high ground" and "move into a position to attack exposed troops...." and not a shot fired? Seems like ISAF has done a lot or spending on avgas etc a got a Dragunov and AK47 to show for it, with a few greanades and IED bits and pieces thrown in.
Call me a cynic, but this reads like another puff piece to counter the recent bad news?
 
really ? leys not forget the 6 lads who landed at Brize Norton today on their way to the John Radcliffe hostpital . Better still , lets stick to deer stalking
 
I'm slightly perplexed by all this "swooping" and "thundering" about, while various gangs of insurgents mill about scouting and "attempting to reach high ground" and "move into a position to attack exposed troops...." and not a shot fired? Seems like ISAF has done a lot or spending on avgas etc a got a Dragunov and AK47 to show for it, with a few greanades and IED bits and pieces thrown in.Call me a cynic, but this reads like another puff piece to counter the recent bad news?
It may be a puff piece, I didn't write it. I think it was a worthwhile Op to get the IED kit out of the way and it also keeps the Taliban on their toes. It's more about dominating the ground and stopping them having the freedome go go about what they want to do. Lets face it they are killing more of their own than they do of ours. A pressure plate IED doesn't care if it's an Afghan kid or a NATO soldier that gets blown up.
 
I was feeling quite good after reading the post,only to be dismayed at the response by BC, I don't care if its journalism at its best,it made good reading in these trying times.
 
I feel the sad part about this was "not a single shot fired"so despite apaches, warriors and warthogs being in contact, no one got a round down! god the lads must be sooooo frustrated
 
I'm slightly perplexed by all this "swooping" and "thundering" about, while various gangs of insurgents mill about scouting and "attempting to reach high ground" and "move into a position to attack exposed troops...." and not a shot fired? Seems like ISAF has done a lot or spending on avgas etc a got a Dragunov and AK47 to show for it, with a few greanades and IED bits and pieces thrown in.
Call me a cynic, but this reads like another puff piece to counter the recent bad news?

Chris it sounds like you have heard such things before. :rolleyes: Perhaps I am a cynic also.
 
really ? leys not forget the 6 lads who landed at Brize Norton today on their way to the John Radcliffe hostpital . Better still , lets stick to deer stalking

Trouble I,m in total agreement with you on this one.
 
Well done you guys, If your not prepared to stand behind the boys out there you should go and stand in front of them!!!

Navaran5 I think that you should do a little bit of research into the background of both trouble and myself before making detrimental comments. I can't speak for anyone else but I support the guys and girls who have taken the shilling and been treated rather shabilly by our government but I don't subscribe to BS public relations exercises.
 
Well done you guys, If your not prepared to stand behind the boys out there you should go and stand in front of them!!!
Stand behind "our boys" Ive stood alongside the men of 45 comando , ive just got back from a friends house whos sons is off there in the next few days .
 
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When navaran posted his message I was actually exchanging private messages with another member of this site with regard to setting the date for the third annual H4H/Stalking Directory charity shoot. I will probably be posting details of the shoot later today. If past experience is anything to go on the shoot will be well supported by the members of this site and it’s owners. Some of those site members are ex forces or have connections with the forces and have posted comments that could be perceived by some as being negative or unsupportive of H.M. forces, I can assure you that they are very much not. Like many I just don’t like to get into the politics of these matters and would rather that the site stay stalking or shooting focused.
 
The inital post was aimed at passing on what is good news no matter how the MoD decide to dress it up. Getting those wepons out of the wrong hands and not getting anyone tagged in the process is a good thing. So those that don't like reading the articles with the MoD spin on things, please don't read the articles. I will in future make it clear in the title that it is from the MoD to save anyone the pain of reading something that they may find offencive.My thoughts are with the family and frinds of Cpt Rupert Bowers who died in a bomb blast in Afghan 2 days ago. RIP
 
Although the article is a PR exercise it is good to read when an incursion goes off without a hitch, otherwise the public support starts to wain, and that is not what the lads over there need to hear about.
 
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