Having overwhelmed the Taliban on Op Moshtarak, the fusiliers alongside the Afghan Warriors together with the French Foreign Legionnaires get in amongst the locals to make sure they feel secure.
Starting out on the patrol.
Spring is very much in the air. The temperature is rising and crops are really starting to take hold.
A break next to a small waterwheel kicking out about 10 kilowatts of electricity.
Checking for signs of trouble.
ANA, Welsh and French soldiers talking tactics.
ANA Warriors with some serious fire power between them.
Farmers in the fields making sure weeds don’t stifle the crop.
A local elder out seeing what we are up to.
The point man out at the front checking for IEDs.
In a few hours time we’ll be having chips.
Having bought it all, some lucky lad has to carry it back.
Chatting with locals at the shop. One of them draws us a picture after persuading a soldier to hand over a pen. We get through a lot of pens when we are out.
A farmer out with some of his flock. They have never been cross bred for meat or wool, they are just as nature intended them to be.
A local boy walks along with the patrol for a while.
Checking we are on the right route home.
Home at last just as the sun sets.Pictures: Major Paul Smyth
Posts
what fantastic troops we have out there. Keep up the good work guys and girls, you have a whole lot of love and support from back home...make sure you all come home safe and sound and SOON xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteMore top of the line photos.
ReplyDeleteMajor Smyth,
ReplyDeleteThank you for portraying the real afghan environment...the world can see it all! Keep with with the good work..Also, please drink 1 spiced chai latte from Green Beans for me (when u get back to KNDHR!). Thanks :)
be safe..
Major Paul Smythe,
ReplyDeleteYour photos are spectacularly wonderful! I first scrolled through the photos (not reading the captions). The photo with the villager and his flock of sheep stopped me in my tracks, thinking, 'Well, I've never seen sheep like that before; aren't they just beautiful!' Then I read your caption, "They have never been cross bred for meat or wool, they are just as nature intended them to be." That should tell us something, shouldn't it. The bright, warm, smiley faces of the Afghan people and their children are precious beyond words. Your photos literally freeze time. I forgot for a brief moment that our brave soldiers pictured there are fighting a war in the midst of everyday happenings of the Afghan people. Thank you so much. The soldier in the sunset is an incredible shot. He is 'every' soldier, isn't he. Jan D USA