Image Gallery 2010

29 April 2010
Gunfire to Governance at Gizab

The Taliban has been ousted from a northern Uruzgan town and local government has been restored thanks to a community uprising supported by Australian Special Forces soldiers and their Afghan partner force, the Provincial Police Reserve (PPR).

In the northern Uruzgan town of Gizab, ten members of the Taliban were confirmed to have been killed in a series of firefights commencing on 21 April which saw the SOTG, the PPR, and locals take on the insurgents who were intimidating the population through violence. No members of the SOTG, PPR or locals were hurt in the battle, providing a sign of hope for the people of Gizab.

With community leaders and Government officials from Uruzgan taking the lead and the Australian and Afghan forces providing security and guidance over the ensuing days, a large meeting was held in the centre of the town to nominate a new Gizab District Governor, a new Chief of Police and their deputies.

The groundswell of popular support from the townspeople culminated in an impromptu ceremony in the middle of the town to raise the Flag of Afghanistan. During this, Australian personnel managed to conduct an Anzac Day dawn service at Gizab.

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Afghan Government officials and police arrive in Gizab via helicopter after the town was secured by Afghan and ISAF forces in support of a community uprising against the Taliban.

(Date taken: 24 April 2010)
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A member of the Special Operations Task Group takes a sight picture of enemy positions from the relative safety of a compound in northern Gizab

(Date taken: 24 April 2010)
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A member of the SOTG takes note of locals in Gizab being searched before attending a Shura to discuss the removal of the Taliban from their town.

(Date taken: 24 April 2010)
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Gizab children celebrate the raising of the Afghan flag over the Gizab bazaar after their town was liberated in a community-led uprising supported by Afghan and Australian forces.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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THE SPIRIT LIVES ON: Members of Australia's Special Operations Task Group hold an Anzac Day Dawn Service inside a compund they had successfully defended from Taliban attacks, in the northern Uruzgan district of Gizab.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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Afghan police and community members raise the Afghan flag over the Gizab bazaar after they and Australia's SOTG supported the local community in an uprising against the Taliban.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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Afghan police and community members raise the Afghan flag over the Gizab bazaar after they and Australia's SOTG supported the local community in an uprising against the Taliban.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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A member of the SOTG's Afghan partner unit - the Provincial Police Reserve - stands to attention as the Afghan Flag is raised over Gizab.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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An Australian Special Forces soldier meets with grateful children in Gizab after he and his colleagues came to their aid and helped to rid their town of the Taliban.

(Date taken: 25 April 2010)
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The Commanding Officer of the SOTG walks freely down the streets of Gizab after his men and their Afghan partner force joined forces with the local community to rid their town of the Taliban.

(Date taken: 26 April 2010)
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SOTG reinforcements land at Gizab via US helicopters during community led operations to oust the Taliban from the area.

(Date taken: 26 April 2010)
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SOTG reinforcements land at Gizab in US helicopters to ensure a community led victory over Taliban insurgents that had been attempting to gain control of the town through violence and intimidation of locals.

(Date taken: 26 April 2010)
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A large crowd comes out to celebrate at Gizab's main bazaar after law and order was restored after intimidation and violence from the Taliban.

(Date taken: 26 April 2010)
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