District leaders partner with Afghan special forces to clear village

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

01.11.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Richard Lower 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan district leaders joined Afghan National Army special forces soldiers during a clearing operation Jan. 11 to expel insurgents from the Adraskan district’s Gala Tut village, in Herat province.

Soldiers from the 9th Special Operations Kandak led the operation as the district’s Gov. Lal Mohammad Omarzai, police Chief Col. Sayed Mohammad Doud, and National Directorate of Security officials talked to villagers.

The Afghan leaders and villagers helped the special forces soldiers identify suspected insurgents.

Fazal Ahmad, the district’s National Directorate of Security chief, said the majority of insurgents coming into Gala Tut are members of an improvised explosive device team, saying the insurgents pass through the area while transporting explosive materials to nearby districts.

Although security forces did not detain any suspected insurgents, ANASF soldiers were able to gather necessary information to prevent insurgents from harassing the villagers, the soldiers reported.

The Afghan leaders called the mission a success, highlighting that the operation brought stability to an area where insurgents traditionally had free reign to do as they pleased.

• Date Taken: 01.11.2014
• Date Posted: 01.15.2014 02:11
• Story ID: 119172
• Location: HELMAND PROVINCE, AF