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COMBAT OUT POST JAKER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan Uniformed Police from the Headquarters Precinct of Nawa district successfully conducted their first major independent operation here, Oct. 29.
The operation, which took place in the Shorshorak region of southern Helmand, was completely Afghan lead with the only involvement by Marine forces coming in the form of close-air support.
According to 1st Lt. Michael Haft, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Weapons Platoon commander and a native of Washington D.C., the AUP precinct received intelligence on Oct. 28 indicating there was an improvised explosive device factory operating in Shorshorak.
The AUP conducted an early morning insert into Shorshorak, Oct. 29. The all Afghan security force began their raid of the suspected IED production facility at approximately 5 a.m.
After a thorough search of the compound, the AUP force found fully assembled IEDs, pressure plates, a large trunk containing homemade explosive components, and confiscated one truck and two motorcycles.
After a few hours of further investigation of the compound and individuals detained during the raid, the AUP came under heavy small arms fire. They called in more than 60 officers, requesting as much support as the nearby precincts could offer.
“Even though they called for close-air support, they really didn’t need it that much,” Haft said. “The AUP did all the fighting. The aircraft only gave them breathing room a couple times, but they never fired a shot.”
The operation and ensuing firefight ended after nearly two and a half hours of intense fighting, resulting in eight dead insurgents, 12 more wounded and approximately 66 detainees.
Chief of the Nawa AUP, Haji Ahmed Shah, said this was a big success for the AUP in the district. With similar operations in the future, it is unlikely that the enemy will stand up and fight.
“This has never happened before for us,” Shah said. “Now maybe the people here will think we are ready and can do this kind of operation by ourselves.”
An IED attack had taken place at a local bazaar only two days prior to the AUP raid on the Shorshorak compound.
“The enemy thinks they can come in here as close as they want, but after today we have shown them that they can not, and they can not do this forever,” he said. “So we went out there, they hit us first [IED attack] and now we hit them. The enemy will not be able to come around here with that kind of operation in Nawa.”
Even after executing a raid that yielded such positive results, Shah said that this type operation is not the preferred method of rooting out insurgents in this area.
“My message is for all the people of Nawa, even the enemy, they can come and live in peace. Our door is open to live in peace,” he said. “Let’s stop the fighting, destroying each other and killing each other. To resolve our problems we need to sit and talk to bring peace to Afghanistan.”
Editor’s note: First Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2011 12:08 |
| Story ID: | 79385 |
| Location: | COMBAT OUT POST JAKER, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 151 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nawa Afghan Uniformed Police conduct independent operation, by Andrew Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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