SF troops in most intense fighting since Vietnam
Volume 11, No. 53, October 05, 2006 By Cpl Mike McSweeney

On the road: SFTG soldiers at a checkpoint as part of activities to remove ACM from southern Afghanistan and bring peace and stability to the local population.

MISSION AT A GLANCE Number of days deployed: 395 Number of days troops on patrol: 306 Number of patrols conducted: 100+ Number of contacts: 139 Offensive Air Spt missions employed: 217+ Number of Aust troops wounded: 11 Number of Aust troops killed: 0

AUSTRALIAN Special Forces were involved in almost daily contacts and some of the most ferocious fighting since the Vietnam War during their 12-month deployment to Afghanistan.

CDF ACM Angus Houston and Comd SOCOMD Maj-Gen Mike Hindmarsh made the announcement in Canberra on September 27 as the Special Forces Task Group (SFTG) returned home from Oruzgan province. ACM Houston described the mission of the 200-member SFTG as “an inspirational tale of courage, resilience and exceptional skill involving a determined and dangerous adversary in an environment that is both harsh and unforgiving”.

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh said the tone was set early during the deployment when an SASR patrol came under heavy RPG, recoilless rifle and machine-gun fire.

“The relatively small SAS force was virtually surrounded for upwards of six hours by a couple of hundred Anti-Coalition Militia (ACM), hell-bent on scoring an early and decisive victory over the Australians,” he said.

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh said the ACM suffered heavily during the contact, which he attributed to superior and disciplined combat skills as well as timely coalition offensive air support.

He said in less than two months from the Government’s direction to deploy, SF troops were patrolling in the remote southern province that had become a Taliban sanctuary.

“Their mission was to disrupt the adversary’s freedom to base within these areas, thereby undermining their overall insurgency capability across Afghanistan,” he said.

He described the ACM – which included Taliban, militants and criminal groups – as “tough, resolute, agile and more dangerous than anything Australian Special Forces have encountered at least since the Vietnam War”.

Based at Camp Russell (named after SASR Sgt Andy Russell who died in Afghanistan in 2002), the SFTG consisted of SASR, 4RAR (Cdo), IRR, support elements and a CH-47 helicopter detachment.

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh said the SASR elements provided the classic long range clandestine surveillance and reconnaissance function.

“Utilising their inherent mobility, firepower and excellent field-craft skills, these patrols pushed deep into the northern sanctuary areas where they remained independently for extended periods of time,” he said. “The SAS, with its ever-increasing familiarity with the environment and displaying characteristic audaciousness and skill, were regularly able to penetrate to attack Taliban leadership.”

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh said 4RAR commandos were a vital part of the task group capability, responding aggressively and decisively whether in concert with SASR elements or as a Quick Reaction Force.


One example of this was before the Battle for Chora Valley (see article at right) when coalition forces attacked an ACM enclave at Tarin Kowt. The assault force, from another nation, successfully cleared the target compound before coming under intense fire and was close to being overwhelmed.

A vehicle-mounted 4RAR (Cdo) Quick Reaction Force responded, fighting to a blocking position to support the coalition force and provide a safe extraction route to the helicopter LZ.

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh said Australian CH-47s landed “in a maelstrom of fire” and extracted the assault force. The commandos then had to fight their way out.

“Very quickly [the commandos] were engulfed in a series of ferocious running battles through a swarm of ACM which threatened to overwhelm them,” he said. “At one stage they had to circle their vehicles and resist fierce close-quarter attacks from all directions for up to an hour. Displaying magnificent teamwork, and potent fighting skills, the small force eventually broke out and fought their way through to safety.”

In the four-hour close-quarter battle, the commandos suffered a few minor injuries but their vehicles were peppered with bullet and fragmentation holes. Twenty-four hours later they were on patrol again.

Maj-Gen Hindmarsh believed the outstanding fitness, levels of training, teamwork, controlled aggression and world class equipment of the Australian soldiers, allied with exceptional air support, contributed to them all returning home.

He was proud of the task force’s efforts to disrupt ACM operations and restore hope to the Afghan communities. “They have once again exhibited that unique mixture of Aussie determination, practicality and compassion which has traditionally set the Aussie Digger apart.”