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Vikings

‘VIKINGS’ AND AFGHAN SOLDIERS CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSION AGAINST TALIBAN HARDCORE ELEMENTS IN SANGIN VALLEY

East Anglian soldiers from 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, known as the ‘Vikings’, along with Afghan, Danish and Estonian soldiers, have just completed an arduous overnight battle, to clear Taliban from Jusyalay, the area between Sangin and Putay in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan.

Up to 600 soldiers were involved in this initial stage of the ongoing UK-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation ‘Ghartse Gar’, to track down Taliban positions, taking the fight to the Taliban and clearing them out of Sangin. The operation is to provide the safe conditions to enable work to continue to dig essential irrigation ditches to prevent crops, needed to sustain hundreds of villages, from drying up and decaying in the intense Afghan sun.

To maintain the element of surprise, soldiers from ‘A, Norfolk’ Company set off on the operation overnight and on foot from their base in Sangin to cover the 16km distance to their starting position, carrying up to 80lbs worth of equipment such as heavy machine guns, mortars, and under slung grenade launchers as well as supplies.

At dawn the following day the Royal Anglian soldiers approached the Taliban positions in a pincer movement from all sides blocking their escape routes, with the Afghan National Army used to draw out the Taliban so that the Royal Anglians could engage them and push them further north and out of the Sangin Valley area.

The soldiers came under attack from small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades, which continued throughout the day.

At one point during the battle, the Afghan National Army soldiers were pinned down by Taliban and support from an Apache helicopter was called in to drop a 2000lb bomb on the Taliban position, killing 8 Taliban fighters.

Despite severe fire fights, A and B Companies continued their advance up and down the Sangin Valley clearing the Juysalay area. The remaining hardcore Taliban were destroyed or managed to escape from the area.

During their advance, the soldiers were helped by local villagers they came across, who gave them vital intelligence on the whereabouts of Taliban in the area.

After reaching their objective twelve hours later, the Royal Anglians pitched camp. There followed a brief fire fight with more Taliban fighters when a Royal Anglian soldier was shot in the chest, but the bullet was deflected by his body armour resulting in a less serious wrist injury.

Lieutenant Nick Denning from Colchester said:

“This is the first time that we’ve marched out like this on an operation rather than dismount from vehicles nearer the starting point. It was an important operation to clear out Taliban strongholds from where experienced fighters have been launching attacks on ANA patrol bases around Sangin, and preventing essential reconstruction and development taking place.

Major Mick Ashton, Officer Commanding B Company said:

“We are now holding the positions we’ve taken and are busy securing the area to allow the irrigation work to continue. We’re also talking to local elders and tribal leaders to reassure them that we are working hard to provide better protection and increased stability for the area as well as for our logistics convoys.

Major Dom Biddick from Leicestershire, Officer Commanding A Company said:

‘We have shown the Taliban that we are not going to let them attack us without retaliating. More importantly we have shown the population that we are here to stay and to provide security for them.”

Operation Ghartse Gar builds on the momentum and strategic success of last month’s Operation ‘Lastay Kulang’, which saw around 70 Taliban hardcore fighters removed from the Upper Sangin Valley around the town of Putay. Both operations were conducted at the request of the Afghan Government.