Posted on 01/17/2007 6:16:02 PM PST by kiriath_jearim
A team of SAS soldiers captured a key Taliban commander yesterday in a lightning raid on a heavily-fortified compound in southern Afghanistan.
Without a shot being fired, the force of fewer than 30 elite soldiers, backed by Afghan troops, achieved "total surprise" and seized Mohammad Nabi in the early hours of the morning near Gereshk, in Helmand province.
Nabi is believed to be a key commander in the Taliban insurgency in the neighbouring province of Kandahar.
The compound, which had been under observation by Nato forces for around two weeks, was typical of the heavily-fortified homes favoured by the Pashtun tribes of southern Afghanistan, which often boast battlements and watch towers.
"We suspect that he has had a major part to play in the Taliban's operations in Zarai and Punjwai districts," said Squadron Leader David Marsh, a British military spokesman, referring to key areas of Taliban resistance in Kandahar and the scene of near continuous fighting since May, 2006.
In September, Nato forces launched their biggest offensive to date in the area in an attempt to eject an estimated 1,500 insurgents.
Though successful, Taliban fighters have since heavily re-infiltrated the area. In response, Nato has launched a series of localised attacks, codenamed Operation Baaz Tsuka, to disrupt Taliban planning for its expected spring offensive.
British commanders initially declined to confirm the name of the captured man, in the hope that usable intelligence might result from his interrogation.
One senior tribal figure from Kandahar, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the captured man was a senior commander but one of around 30 operating in the province. The raid was the latest in a largely secret war being fought by British special forces in southern Afghanistan, about which the Ministry of Defence remains hugely sensitive.
However, Gen David Richards, the British Nato commander, has made no secret of the key role to be played by special forces in the overall plan to break the Taliban insurgency.
While regular army units are seen as key to securing areas for the redevelopment work, which is supposed to win over the local population, it is special forces that are supposed to hunt down the key figures in the insurgency.
Gen Richards said that he was "well satisfied" with the numbers of special forces placed at his disposal, both British and other nations, including members of the Australian SAS and a bewildering variety of US Army units.
In addition, US commanders retain separate command of 8,000 American troops, including many specialised counter-terrorist units, who have the task of searching for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and along the Pakistan border.
Soldiers from the Special Boat Service, the Royal Navy's sister unit to the SAS, were at the heart of last summer's fighting in the south.
In an operation not unlike yesterday's, an SBS unit captured three Taliban commanders near Sangin last June, only to be ambushed as they withdrew with their captives. Two soldiers died, one from the SBS and another from the newly-formed Special Forces Support Unit.
During fighting in southern Helmand during last September, British journalists were able to hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions at night far to the south of regular British Army units around Garmser.
Soldiers from the SBS were undertaking covert missions to disrupt Taliban supply lines and re-inforcements.
SOCOM Ping
"key role to be played by special forces in the overall plan to break the Taliban insurgency."
Haha, good luck, with another 2 million waiting in training in Pakistan...
What a bunch of idiots!
Don't eject them, KILL THEM!!! or they'll be back.
Political correctness is killing our troops! It's long past time to kill political correctness.
Who are the idiots?
This is an excellent report. SAS, British and Australian, are among the finest of the elite soldiers in the world. Most of what they do and have done will never be in the newspapers.
I actually admire the ethic which drives the British on in afgahistan. We Americans don't understand that it is unquestionably a cesspool where westerners have have their ass handed to them repeatedly. But it is also without doubt imperitive that afganistan never be left to it's own anarchy, witness 9 11 2001.
That's a new one on me. Probably a heckuva ride. Especially NOE at night! :-) Can't be any worse than getting dragged through the trees on a SPIE rig.
What's so secret about this war? Maybe the BBC just didn't notice.
Says "crew of 2." So who's flying the copter?
Pilot and gunner in the cockpit, and a couple of lunatics on the wings, for a total of four. LOL!
The guys on the wings aren't crew.
Don't forget, Hillary says Afghanistan is a near disaster.
No doubt
Yeah. You couldn't get a copter pilot to do that. Gotta get some of Kerry's and Rangel's "dumb" constituents to do that.
Thanks,
K4
BTTT!
They're cargo! lol
Mark
Mohammad Nabi is in a world-of-hurt right now. The SAS is fairly adept at interrogation. ............ FRegards
"Who dares, wins".
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