Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Klene | A 7th Special Operations Kandak Commando provides security on a raid in Tale Gwame...... read more read more
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Commandos from 3rd, 7th, and 9th Special Operations Kandaks and the National Mission Brigade’s Ktah Khas conducted a series of helicopter assaults and night raids, removing more than 350 kg of explosives from the Taliban throughout Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6-20, 2018. Over the course of two-weeks of offensive operations, the Afghan special operators destroyed approximately 368 kg of homemade explosives, and seized more than 310 constructed IEDs with components.
Significant explosives depots removed from the Taliban included 90 kg of HME in Bar Now Zad, 250 kg of HME and 20 pressure plates in Sangin District Center, and 20 remote controlled IEDs in Chagail Village.
“The Taliban and their senior leadership are seriously questioning their future in Helmand,” said Resolute Support Commander General John Nicholson recently. “This is because Helmand is so important to their strength and revenue, that they‘re questioning their viability overall.”
On Jan. 18, 3rd and 9th SOK Commandos liberated 14 prisoners from the Taliban in Now Zad district center, a known safe haven that allowed the Taliban to produce and process drugs. That operation marked the fourth significant prison rescue by Afghan Special Security Forces in the past three months, and the third in Helmand province.
On 20 Jan., 7th SOK surprised a Taliban “Red Unit” during a helicopter raid in Nahr-e-Saraj district, Helmand province, Jan. 20, 2018. Commandos removed six fighters, and destroyed a Taliban staging area used to launch attacks on Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in the area.
The Taliban have increased their use of indiscriminate weapons such as IEDs due to their inability to defeat ANDSF and hold terrain.
| Date Taken: | 01.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 01.24.2018 04:10 |
| Story ID: | 262735 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
