Photo By Cpl. Andrew Johnston | Marines with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, rush towards a CH-53E...... read more read more
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MARJAH, Afghanistan - The night before the operation Capt. Jason M. Quinn, a platoon commander for Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, gathered a massive group of warriors for a pep-talk.
“We are in a combat environment and we cannot forget that,” Quinn said. “There are a lot of moving parts to this operation, and we need everyone on the same page so we’re not winging it when it comes game time tomorrow.”
On Jan. 3, Marines with 2/9 commenced Operation Oasis on a local bazaar in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, to disrupt illegal activities and search for Taliban affiliates.
The Marines poured over their checklists, staging vehicles in rows, filling their camelbacks and performing function checks on their crew served weapons. After the Marines felt comfortable that everything was in place, they bedded down for a good night’s sleep.
Before sunrise the Marines piled into their vehicles and fired up their engines. With an “all-clear” from the command center, the mile-long convoy began their expedition in to the desert.
As the convoy plowed toward the bazaar, a swarm of helicopters zipped through the sky to their landing zones. Within seconds, the helicopters roared into position, inserting Marines who quickly formed a 360-degree perimeter around the marketplace.
Hordes of suspicious looking men made a dash for the desert. Oblivious to the impervious cordon created by the Marines the men ran directly in to the awaiting warriors who escorted them back to the bazaar. It became perfectly clear there was no where to run.
After the locals were informed what was going on, everyone at the bazaar was required to go through the Biometrics Automated Toolset System and the Handheld Interagency Identity Device Equipment to be either input in to the system or cross-referenced to pending investigations. At the same time, individuals were also tested for gunshot and bomb making material residue on their skin.
People of interest were either detained or taken to a separate location for further questioning. If the locals were cleared, they were allowed to continue shopping and invited to a shura where Marines provided food and water to the nearly 1,000 in attendance.
As the shura crowd quickly grew, Maj. Paul A. Buta, the civil affairs team leader for 3rd Civil Affairs Group, 2/9, addressed the locals and discussed new programs to give farmers the opportunity to revitalize their communities and plant alternatives to poppy. All they needed to do was ask for help, he said.
“When you need things repaired or refurbished in your villages and you need bridges in your villages, you need to come to us and let us know; otherwise, we can’t help you,” Buta explained to the crowd. “If you’re reluctant to talk to the Marines, talk to our Afghan counterparts. The Marines and ANA work shoulder-to-shoulder, and everyone is here to help.”
For some of the locals, the sudden melee was an unexpected surprise to them. Haji Abdul Kayoom, a highly respected village elder in the area, understood the crowd’s concern but explained to them how the raid helped make their communities safer. He explained how the raid is part of coalition efforts to improve the quality of life in Afghanistan.
“The Americans are here to help us,” Kayoom said. “They are spending a lot of money to help us rebuild Afghanistan in to a better country. They are building bridges, schools, roads, and rebuilding bazaars.”
“The Taliban hasn’t done anything for us; they haven’t built anything to help the community,” said Kayoom. “If America is here to help us build our country, then now is the time to take advantage of what they are offering us and stand together to rebuild our communities.”
According to officials, the operation was a success, laying the groundwork for similar operations in the future. Marines and their ANA counterparts enrolled nearly all locals at the bazaar into the biometrics system database. The Marines were able to detain several individuals connected to Taliban activities and confiscate illegal contraband found in several shops.
| Date Taken: | 01.03.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2011 01:18 |
| Story ID: | 63238 |
| Location: | MARJAH, AF |
| Web Views: | 318 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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