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MARJAH, Afghanistan - Afghan police and army units took the lead in sweeping a populated area in northwest Marjah, Afghanistan, Feb. 29 to March 1.
Afghan Local, Uniformed and National Civil Order Police, Afghan National Army, and Regimental Combat Team 5 Marines worked together during the two-day operation in the Sistani area of Marjah.
“It was an Afghan National Security Forces -led operation, so you had the police and the army involved,” said Sgt. Timothy Guinan, the military police chief for RCT-5 Police Advisory Team. “They were searching compounds and talking to the people, trying to find evidence or weapons caches and get whatever information they could from the people.”
Guinan said Afghan forces chose Sistani as the location of the operation because of the history of insurgent activity in the area.
“We were just out there helping them, giving them some support with the assets we have, and giving them advice along the way,” said Guinan, a native of Manor, Pa.
Marine and Afghan forces interacted closely with Afghan citizens throughout the operation.
During one security halt, a young Afghan boy with a cut on his hand approached the Marines of the advisory team.
Corporal Austin Aliferis, a fire team leader with the advisory team, called for a fellow Marine to bring him a bandage. The boy’s brother helped him apply it to the slice on his hand, and the smiling boy raised his newly bandaged thumb in the air to show the Marines.
Soon a group of children approached the Marines, and a young boy stepped forward with a cut on his foot. Aliferis, a native of Asheville, N.C., took a knee and helped the child apply the bandage to his cut as a group of children crowded around and watched intently.
“I like this part of my job,” Aliferis said.
The Marines passed out food, water and candy to the laughing and smiling children before returning to their vehicles and moving to search a nearby compound.
The advisory team worked closely with Afghan police during both days of the clearing operation.
“The first day there were Marines partnered with the ANA as they pushed through,” said Guinan. “Myself and the rest of the PAT held a cordon with uniformed police and civil order police as the army swept, making sure no one could escape. Today we were with the police as we swept through Sistani. We provided support and advised them as we went.”
Marine and Afghan forces located several improvised explosive devices as they swept the area.
“We trained them, so what we ask them to do is find it and set up their security,” he said. “They call it in, and they pass it on to Marines. We take explosive ordnance disposal technicians out to actually handle the IED itself, but Afghans are working the communication and liaison part on their end.“
The Afghan police here attended academies and the Police Advisory Team taught courses on proper law enforcement procedures.
“It’s important for them to know this,” said Lance Cpl. Niko Azucenas, a police advisor and a native of Houston. “When we leave, they can handle all criminal activity in their province.”
Editor's Note: Regimental Combat Team 5 is a part of Task Force Leatherneck. First Marine Division (Forward) heads Task Force Leatherneck, 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: | 03.08.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2012 07:17 |
| Story ID: | 84914 |
| Location: | MARJAH, AFGHANISTAN, AF |
| Web Views: | 1,469 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Afghan forces, Marines clear Sistani, by Cpl Tyler Reiriz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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