TF Duke, ANSF clear weapons caches

KHOWST PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

03.20.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Ben Navratil 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Coalition forces and Afghan national security forces completed a major operation, recovering hundreds of pounds of explosives and weapons and severely degrading insurgent activity, prior to the spring fighting season in eastern Afghanistan, March 20.

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, along with ANSF partners conducted Operation Maiwan in Khowst and Paktya provinces to recover and eliminate weapons caches to increase security and reinforce the ANSF’s control over the area.

During a six-day period, American and Afghan soldiers successfully recovered more than 200 mortars, rockets, grenades, improvised explosive devices and land mines; multiple rocket launchers and suicide vests; more than 600 pounds of homemade explosives; thousands of machine gun rounds and dozens of AK47 rifles and similar firearms.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jesse Pearson, a native of Joliet, Ill., and commander of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, noted cache clearance operations were extremely successful in his battle space, and "clearly disrupted insurgents’ plans across Khowst province."

He said feedback he’d received from Afghan leaders in the Jaji Maidan and Sabari Districts of Khowst who said the operation gave citizens of both areas hope, because "the level of violence ... was notably reduced."

Khowst Gov. Al-Jabbar Naeemi applauded the joint effort between the ANSF and the soldiers of TF Duke.

In a statement released by his office, Naeemi praised the citizens of Khowst who "cooperated in this effort because they want to live in peace."

He also called for reconciliation by insurgents to join the effort to bring peace and stability to the region.

Speaking from his past experience as a battalion commander in nearby Paktika province in 2006 to 2007, U.S. Army Col. Chris Toner, TF Duke commander and native of Topeka, Kan., said he’s never seen more pressure applied on the insurgency here than what was applied during the operation.

“Our massing of effects is having a significant impact [on the insurgency],” said Toner of the density of forces in the region.

There was more to the operation than simply removing weapons from the battlefield, however.

This was the first large-scale, joint operation by TF Duke and the ANSF since TF Duke soldiers deployed to Afghanistan in January, and it was an opportunity for the units to work closely toward a common goal.

“We got into areas we needed to go,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mark Borowski, a native of South Hadley, Mass., and commander of the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regt., 3rd BCT, 1st Inf. Div., TF Duke.

He said the lessons learned working with his Afghan counterparts were just as important as the actual cache clearance itself.

"This was our first sustained operation with the ANSF and we certainly have learned from the experience," said Borowski.

• Date Taken: 03.20.2011
• Date Posted: 03.23.2011 17:08
• Story ID: 67624
• Location: KHOWST PROVINCE, AF