More Defence news: 15 June 2009 - 21 June 2009
No let-up against Taliban insurgents
Australian and Afghan forces have successfully targeted Taliban insurgents in a joint operation called Zamarai Lor (Tiger Scythe). The four-day ‘cordon and search’ mission was conducted in the Mirabad region of Uruzgan Province, centring on the village of Sorkh Lez – a known Taliban location. The force comprised a company of the 2nd Kandak (battalion), 4th Brigade, of the Afghan National Army (ANA), and an Australian Defence Force platoon from the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT), which has been mentoring and supporting the Afghan soldiers. The operation pushed insurgents further back, with the force discovering a small cache of weapons on the first day, before the insurgents attacked with multiple engagements occurring during the conduct of the operation. The ANA and ADF soldiers had several contacts with insurgents, coming under attack from multiple directions rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and small arms fire. “From the first day they came at us with some strength. What resulted over the next two days were quite lengthy contacts, where we had a number of engagements with the insurgents,” Commanding Officer of the first Australian Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel, said. Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel praised the growing capability of Afghan soldiers following the successful completion of the operation, saying it demonstrates to the local people that the Afghan National Army is prepared to secure the location and drive the Taliban out. “It was very good to see just how well the ANA responded to the work that has been done with them by their mentors. They took great heart having a platoon of Australian soldiers from the Combat Team fighting there alongside them. “When we started this mission, the Kandak which we were assigned was at an early stage of development, and here we are now, almost eight months later, successfully conducting complex company-level operations, taking the fight directly to the enemy and being very successful.” More: Media release | Video | Imagery | Audio |
