HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, – Standing atop the largest mountain in one of Afghanistan’s most desolate districts is a red, green and black flag. Embroidered in gold colored thread is the first pillar of Islam, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is his messenger.”
Climbing to the mountain’s summit wasn’t easy for the five men standing under their banner. They struggled against slippery, unstable rocks as they carried the weight of their weapons and gear, all while dealing with the threat of enemy fire at any moment. The easiest path would’ve been the dangerous path for the small squad of fighters.
The soldiers are accustomed to the grueling conditions of Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain. They tell anyone who asks that their ancestors endured worse with less.
“We were so tired, but that changed once we raised the flag. We became filled with energy, we did not feel tired anymore. We were happy,” said the group’s leader, Mohhammad Sarwar.
The youngest man, calling himself Abdullah, summed up what every man felt, “It was very hard for us, once we put that flag up there, I felt like a real commando.”
Kuh-e Musa Qal’ah stands at a staggering 5,000 feet above sea level. The massive mountain height stood as challenge for the Afghan soldiers who climbed it. It was a challenge to all of their hard training. It was a challenge putting them in a remote region surrounded by their enemy, the Taliban. And, it was a challenge to raise their nation’s symbol to the highest point they could, uniting not only their brothers in arms, but also their nation as a single people devoted to freedom from religious extremism.
A District in Peril
Musa Qal’ah district sits at a critical spot for insurgents and coalition forces. The district is an ideal staging area for waging war with government convoys traveling along Highway 611, the only viable road for crossing the isolated section of Helmand province.
“Musa Qal’ah is an important district,” said the Helmand provincial governor’s spokesman, Ummar Zawaq. “The people in secured areas of this district are very happy and enjoy living in peace. The people living in less secured areas would like to see the same thing happen to their areas. That is why we (planned) to fully secure the whole district from the opposition's activities.”
“(Highway 611) is very important because everyone in Helmand use this highway as their main commuting route. When the opposition elements target this highway, it is the civilian people of the area who suffer,” said Zawaq, talking about the significance of the district’s main road.
The district’s significance was also a key factor in the Afghan National Army’s decision to use its elite special operations soldiers, the Commandos, to clear insurgent forces out of fortified positions throughout Musa Qal’ah.
“The commandos were chosen because they operate at locations where the opposition elements are active, cause trouble for the people of those areas, and even shoot at people along this highway,” said the spokesman.
“They have had excellent achievements in those areas,” points out Zawaq, commenting on the success ANA commandos have enjoyed during previous clearing operations.
“They have been very effective, because anywhere they conduct an operation; they absolutely clear that area of opposition elements, completely destroying ammo depots and more,” he said.
Zawaq summed up the operation’s significance in one sentence, “We have to rescue the people of Musa Qal’ah from the Taliban’s tyranny.”
The Lion’s Share of Victory
The mission to clear Musa Qal’ah began Oct. 11, 2013. A combined force of the ANA’s 215 Corps, Afghan Local Police, and Afghan Uniform Police arrived and started clearing the Northern Musa Qal’ah wadi.
Yet, the operation came to a halt after ANA forces began to receive fire from a fortified Taliban position atop of Kuh-e Musa Qal’ah.
The commandos arrived the next morning after being notified the night before that their soldiers would be needed to augment other Afghan National Security Forces in the area.
“Our ANA brothers were pinned down. We understood that no matter what happened, we had to take the mountain for our brothers,” said Gulead, a Commando team leader and one of the men who placed the Afghan flag on the mountain’s summit.
“It does not matter how hard the job is for commandos,” said the platoon sergeant, Sarwar. Three other Commandos listened and nodded their heads in agreement.
Azizurrahman, a squad leader spoke with passion about how his platoon saw the Taliban’s flag waving over the highest ground in all of Musa Qal’ah. “We saw the enemy’s flag up there … and we grew angry!” he slammed his fist against the tabletop the men sat around.
He unclenched his fist and smiled, only briefly. “But putting our flag up there made me happy.”
Sarwar laughed before retelling the tale of how his men climbed the mountain.
“Helmand weather is very hot,” he said. As one of the southernmost provinces bordering Pakistan, Helmand is still sweating under the sun’s heat while some of Afghanistan’s northern mountains become blanketed in snow.
The platoon sergeant rubbed his bearded chin, “The mountain was covered in stones. It was hard to climb … we thought we would come under fire while we cleared the mountain.”
However, Sarwar and his men were able to take the Taliban’s position without firing a single shot. The insurgents had abandoned their post before the commandos reached the top, taking their flag with them.
The sergeant leaned in, “Their observers saw us coming and they ran away scared.”
The men decided to send a message to the Taliban if they ever thought of taking the mountain for their own again.
Gulead explained the reasons the commandos planted their nation’s symbol on that mountain, “When the Taliban see our flag … they know that mountain belongs to us. Putting that flag up there reminds me that we are all Muslims.”
Sarwar pounded his chest after Gulead finished, “All of our nation’s people should be proud of the Commandos. Our enemy will not dare to tread near our flag. It is very precious to us. It is worth more than our souls.”
| Date Taken: |
10.27.2013 |
| Date Posted: |
10.27.2013 11:05 |
| Story ID: |
115790 |
| Location: |
HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: |
135 |
| Downloads: |
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