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DIGGING IN
By Capt Hayden Barlow
Edition 1173, August 23, 2007 |
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Protection: Australian soldiers maintain security at the site of a police outpost RTF engineers constructed in the Tarin Kowt region.
Photo by Cpl Jamie Osborne |
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| Earthmovers: An armoured excavator works at the police outpost work site. |
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| Defused: Explosive ordnance disposal team members display the IED they retrieved from near the worksite. |
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In the pits: RTF2 soldiers in pits that provide protection from rocket and mortar attacks.
Photos by Cpl Jamie Osborne
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AUSTRALIAN soldiers protecting the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan have repelled two Taliban attacks.
The Taliban carried out coordinated small-arms and RPG attacks against ADF dismounted and mounted patrols on August 8 and 10.
The first firefight lasted two hours and the second 1½ hours.
The patrols were protecting the RTF during a six-day construction of a police out-post 10km from the provincial capital, Tarin Kowt.
On the second day, the platoon members’ situational awareness alerted them to a change in the security environment. Soon afterward the scout was engaged by small-arms and RPG fire from a nearby dwelling.
A 30-minute firefight ensued as the platoon manoeuvred to counter-attack. However, firing ceased before it could be launched.
About half-an-hour later, as an ASLAV troop positioned to provide overwatch for the platoon, the Taliban unleashed a barrage of RPG fire at them.
ASLAV driver Tpr James Gould described the situation: “About two minutes in to the contact we had an RPG airburst about 40m above us. Things then went quiet for about 20 minutes until the platoon in contact was hit again. We then had around 10 RPG rounds fired directly at our position. Most of them landed behind or in front of us, with one dropping about 50m in front of my vehicle.”
The platoon was engaged by about 30 Taliban fighters, including some armed with what was believed to be two PKM medium machine-guns.
Platoon commander Lt Glenn Nielson said fighting during this second clash was close and intense with grenades being employed and soldiers peering around corners getting peppered with small-arms fire.
“During the counter-attack, we were engaged from multiple directions. We regained fire supremacy utilising small-arms and machine-gun, 40mm HE and F1 grenades,” he said.
The patrol married up with their Bushmasters nearly two hours after contact had first rung out. They were all safe, as were the ASLAV crew.
One soldier said the Taliban were “well set up and appeared to be ready for a fight, but their soldiering skills let them down and we were able to get on top fairly quickly”.
After the contact the platoon returned to their night loc to prepare for another day’s patrolling. Security force commander Capt Paul Sanderson said the decision to send his men back into the same region as the initial contact was difficult, but necessary to ensure the safety of the engineers.
“It was a tough decision to make, but it was extremely important in the wider scheme of things to disrupt the Taliban so they could not get close to the worksite,” he said.
Two days later, the Taliban launched a second attack on the same platoon as it patrolled in the same area as the previous contact.
Five soldiers had entered an alley when they were engaged by small-arms and RPG fire. The rockets reportedly went past at head-height.
An ASLAV troop providing overwatch from the desert was also targeted by RPGs.
This simultaneous targeting of the ASLAVs indicated that the Taliban’s attack was coordinated and planned. Their inaccurate firing, however, allowed the ASLAVs to respond with their 25mm cannons.
At this time at the infantry contact site, the infantrymen were getting on top of their adversaries.
Lt Neilson said: “The instantaneous and violent reaction to contact was what enabled us to regain the initiative.”
The patrol was able to break contact and took up all all-round defence to secure their position. They quickly formulated a plan of attack while the attached sniper pair cleared an area to gain a commanding fire position.
More fire rained on their position, prompting the platoon to respond further. At the firm base, Capt Sanderson called in air support from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners.
“We had to make decisions quickly to ensure the platoon that was in the village area got the support it needed to achieve its task and then get out without receiving any casualties,” he said.
Capt Simon Hompas, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, was on the ground with the platoon. As ISAF Apache helicopters launched from the forward operating base, he established communication with them and coordinated their support.
Using smoke and marker panels, he signalled friendly positions to the pilots. The Apaches observed the unfolding situation, firing upon Taliban positions as they were positively identified.
“Talking to the pilots over the radio and knowing they had come to assist us was incredibly uplifting. I knew then that things were going to work out well for us” Capt Hompas said.
Once the situation had calmed somewhat, the patrol withdrew back to their vehicles. The contact lasted about 90 minutes, and like the incident two days earlier, no one was hurt.
RTF 2 CO Lt-Col Harry Jarvie said the contribution of the Security Task Group was one of the reasons for the progress being made in Oruzgan.
“These young men do an extraordinary job in very complex and difficult conditions,” he said.
“The fact that our engineers are able to get on with their vital construction work is a testament to the protection provided by the Security Task Group.
“Not once have our engineers been forced to cease work in the face of an attack on their worksite.”
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