Marines Draw Out Taliban in Southern Helmand Province
Story by Lance Cpl. James W. Clark,
1/21/2010 (Source: Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine
Division Public Affairs) |
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Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine
Regiment open fire on enemy insurgents taking cover in
an abandoned compound, during a firefight in Helmand
province, Afghanistan on January 18th, 2010. Patrols
have been increased in an effort to push the Taliban
back and create a buffer for villages friendly towards
coalition forces in the region. (Click photo to
enlarge.) |
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Stepping gingerly over
rocks and uneven ground, Marines from Alpha Company, 1st
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and the Afghan national
army soldiers attached to them, patrolled to the north
of Observation Post Huskars, in Helmand province,
Afghanistan, Jan. 18, 2010.
The patrol stalked through a small barren crop, just
large enough to sustain the inhabitants of a nearby
compound, which now lay abandoned. As the column made
its way past homes and farms, there was a rising sense
that something was amiss; there wasn't a villager in
sight.
Passing through a small archway in a mud wall and out
across an open plateau, the Marines' suspicions were
realized as several flat and hollow cracks rang out.
Dust kicked up around ankles and clumps of dirt flew
from the walls as bullets impacted all around the
patrol. Sprinting to get behind cover in order to return
fire, the men of Alpha Co., 1/6, had achieved their
objective; they had located the Taliban.
For the next five hours, Marines and ANA soldiers traded
fire with insurgents. The sun had set by the time the
patrol withdrew, and they had uncovered a cache of
approximately 1300 lbs of ammonium nitrate, which is a
prime ingredient in homemade explosives and against the
law to own, under Afghan law. One suspect was detained,
several insurgents were wounded or killed, and there
were no ANA or Marine casualties.
"The original goal of the patrol was to do [census
operations] and see who was living in the buildings,"
explained 1st Lt. Shaun Miller, the executive officer
for Alpha Co., 1/6. "We wanted to get the lay of the
land and interact with local leaders and elders."
Although the initial plan was to interact with villagers
in the north, each time the Marines of Alpha Co., 1/6,
pushed beyond the walls of Observation Post Huskars,
they took fire from insurgents.
"Every time we've gone out on patrol we've gotten into
firefights," explained Miller, who paused for a moment
to speak over a radio to a Marine on patrol who had
reported seeing a rocket-propelled grenade gunner.
"We've been here for five days and have launched over 20
patrols and as soon as we go more than one mile outside
of the wire, we encounter heavy enemy resistance. It's
like [the Taliban] are drawn to us."
The increase in patrols and subsequent engagements with
insurgents serves to buffer friendly villages to the
south of Observation Post Huskars from the Taliban north
of the Marines' position.
"To the north, the majority of the compounds are
abandoned and are being used by insurgents," explained
Miller. "However, in the south, villagers have asked for
our help, even led us to where improvised explosive
devices were planted so that we could destroy them."
As the light began to fade and the Marines switched to
night vision, infrequent tracer rounds and pop shots
would clip and skim over the compound where the patrol
had taken refuge. Meanwhile, they waited for explosive
ordinance disposal Marines to arrive and destroy the
homemade explosive ingredients found earlier in the day.
With the events of the day behind them and the HME
ingredients destroyed, the patrol set off towards their
camp to catch a few hours of rest before going out again
the following morning. |
Snipers attached to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th
Marine Regiment take aim at insurgents during a
firefight in Helmand province, Afghanistan. (Click
photo to enlarge.) |
A Marine with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine
Regiment prepares to provide suppressive fire for
members of his squad as they sprint across open terrain
towards cover, during a patrol in Helmand province,
Afghanistan. (Click photo to enlarge.) |
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Marines Draw Out Taliban in Southern Helmand Province
