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LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – With night optics mounted and cumbersome rucksacks upon their backs, soldiers lined of the troop compartment of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as they prepared to air assault into Baraki Barak District, Afghanistan, April 17.
The Chinook dived toward the landing zone as soldiers began to stand in preparation for their six-day mission.
Two-by-two the men exited the aft of the aircraft into the soft marsh-like farmland. Soldiers silently assembled into their squads and moved toward the first objective of their clearing operation throughout the district, April 17.
Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Task Force Storm, secured villages in Baraki Barak District, as Afghan national security forces searched homes for illegal arms and materials during Operation Baraki Bahar.
Baraki Barak District is south of Kabul and is rich in lush farmland and bustling bazaars, which have earned it and surrounding areas the nickname “the breadbasket of Kabul.”
To ensure farmers can get their crops to market, soldiers of TF Storm and the ANSF must eliminate insurgent influences that wish to extort money and goods from locals, according to TF Storm soldiers.
“We are conducting these operations to expand the Kabul security bubble,” said Mars, Pa., native U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Glen D. Pegher, a platoon leader assigned to Company D, TF Storm.
When interviewed, Afghans expressed relief that Afghan and coalition forces were present because insurgent forces relocate when there is a greater Afghan government presence.
Increasing the security bubble is a delicate dance of intelligence gathering, educating the public about the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and conducting precision combat operations on the ground.
“We have named areas of interest in villages that are suspected cache sites or homemade explosives labs,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Gabriel W. Temples, a platoon sergeant assigned to Company D. “We’re here to clear those objectives.”
During the operation, ANSF officials spoke with villagers and identified more potential cache sites. After the new intelligence was gathered, Afghan forces were quick to coordinate security with TF Storm and search the new found areas of interest. Afghan and coalition forces recovered four weapons caches and three improvised explosive devices, detained four persons of interest and confiscated nearly 150 pounds of fertilizer that can be used to make HME.
Baraki Barak District Sub-Gov. Mohammad Rahim Amin held public shuras, or meetings, in various villages throughout the operation. These events gave elders a forum to voice their concerns and needs to Amin.
TF Storm’s predecessors have set up semi-permanent positions in this area before, but they were met with fierce opposition.
“It’s been a rough area for any units who stayed in this area,” said Temples, Gilmer, Texas, native.
After a nearly weeklong mission, coalition and Afghan forces returned to their respective operating locations, but they are not leaving an abyss of security for criminals to fill with terror. Instead, the offensively operating infantry battalion has set up “Patrol Base Road House” to focus on the area and to deny a resurgence of insurgents in this valuable area.
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2011 18:56 |
| Story ID: | 69392 |
| Location: | LOGAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 223 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, TF Storm disrupt insurgents during Operation Baraki Bahar, by SSG Cooper Cash, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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