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Afghanistan |
SAS men died in ambush after snatching four Taleban chiefs |
2006-06-29 |
Update on story from a couple of days ago, with interesting details of the battle. These gentlemen are true heroes. Salute! THE two special forces soldiers killed during an hour-long gunfight in southern Afghanistan were part of a daring raid on a Taleban stronghold in which four key commanders on the “Most Wanted” list were seized. The details of the “snatch” operation emerged as the next of kin were told of their deaths. The men’s names will not be released after a request from the families. The SAS, the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service (SBS) and the newly formed Special Forces Support Group, consisting of troops from the 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were all involved in the largest covert operation in the area since British troops were deployed there last month. Defence sources said there had been intelligence that four key Taleban leaders were in a compound in the village of Sangin, north of Helmand province, where 3,300 British troops are based. The special forces were supported by two companies of about 100 paratroops from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. The soldiers from 3 Para launched an attack on the compound, providing covering fire as the snatch squad moved in and grabbed the four. They were described as “high-value targets”. At that stage there had been no British casualties and the mission appeared to have been a success. |
Posted by:Seafarious |
#9 Hats off to our brave limey mates across the pond. RIP chums. |
Posted by: Zenster 2006-06-29 17:16 |
#8 Thank you, and God bless, you honorable Brits. |
Posted by: BA 2006-06-29 13:41 |
#7 Very ballsy. Lessons learned and the SAS will be even more deadly in later battles. |
Posted by: DarthVader 2006-06-29 09:25 |
#6 Ballsy mission. |
Posted by: JohnQC 2006-06-29 09:12 |
#5 Most likely there was only one practical route in and out that land rovers could handle, possibly having a "permanent" ambush site set up to cover it. The operation still had problems, mostly equipment shortage being made up for with manpower. The Brits are woefully underequipped in theater. (And thus it has long been. Even in WWII, Tommy was ill-equipped compared to his 'cousins'.) |
Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-06-29 08:59 |
#4 Thank you Great Britain. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2006-06-29 07:41 |
#3 1,000 more huh? Well, at the rate they kill em over there that is still a managable number. They don't have a botomless pit full of Taliwhackers, so eventually they will go extinct. |
Posted by: Hupagum Omeatle1658 2006-06-29 07:28 |
#2 Who Dares Wins |
Posted by: Manolo 2006-06-29 07:25 |
#1 Next time strap the Taliban spread-eagle to the sides of the escape vehicles with a couple feet of piano wire tying their nuts to the door handle. Very ballsy, SAS. How did the Taliban communicate that it wasn't discovered that they might have set up an ambush? I have no idea of what the terrain was like, but maybe in the future the escape routes should be guarded if at all possible just in case the Taliban can do it again. |
Posted by: grb 2006-06-29 02:00 |