Commandos successful in first operation in Nangahar Province
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – The brand-new battalion of Afghan National Army Commandos, along with a contingent of Afghan National Police advised by Coalition forces, conducted its first mission successfully during a two-day operation, which concluded this morning.
The operation was conducted 30 miles southwest of Jalalabad in the Sherzad District of Nangahar Province and the Commando-led force is credited with eliminating two weapons caches, a large quantity of opium and capturing a known Taliban facilitator, along with two other possible Taliban extremists, from three targeted compounds.
The planning and execution of the operation fell to the first unit of Commandos, an elite organization of Afghan soldiers, which graduated from the three-month training program at a camp near Kabul on July 28. The Commando and ANP teams, acting on credible intelligence, moved to the objective by both helicopters and ground vehicles.
The Commandos detained a key Taliban extremist facilitator identified as Haji Shir Khan. Khan is a known improvised explosive device maker, who is responsible for numerous IED attacks on Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Coalition forces in the Nangahar province.
During the search of the three compounds, the combined force discovered 18 rocket propelled grenade rounds, one anti-tank mine, 10 hand grenades, one 12-gauge shotgun, eight fully-loaded AK-47 magazines, and more than 80 kilograms of opium. All the items, except the shotgun and AK-47 magazines, were destroyed at the site.
. “The Commandos represent a bright future for the Afghan National Security Forces, and it’s no surprise after all of their training that they were successful in today’s mission,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman. “The Commandos’ aggressive attitude and enhanced skills allowed them to seize the initiative and work well with their partnered ANP and Coalition units throughout this two-day operation. Operations such as this one demonstrate that the ANP, and now the Commandos, are authority figures to the residents of Nangahar and can rapidly conduct synchronized missions against the enemies of peace and stability.“
No shots were fired during the entire two-day operation and no ANSF, Coalition or non-combatants were injured or killed.
Really big pictures at the link. I shrank a couple of them:
Last edited by Airbornelawyer; 09-18-2007 at 00:11.
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