As part of the 40 Commando Battle Group, the Brigade Advisory Group from the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 Scots) are working closely with the Kandak.
The group’s second-in-command, Captain Ruaraidh Stewart said: “This is one of the strongest operations we [the Advisor Group] have seen the Kandak plan and conduct.”
He was quick to point out that there was no requirement for the 1 Scots Advisory Group to participate in either of the arrest operations. He said: “Our presence was purely for back up, which was not needed,” said Capt Stewart.
A number of potential locations were watched closely before the ANA launched the first, quickly planned, snatch operation. This decisive action enabled the ANA to capture three important figures without incident.
The second operation was a meticulously planned morning raid. At 0200, with no light and no sound, the ANA surrounded a compound. The insurgents were taken completely by surprise, unaware that they had been targeted. While there was an ISAF search dog and members from the 1 Scots Advisory Group on location as back-up, there was no requirement for them to even enter the building.
Captain Stewart said: “The ANA had the situation well under control on their own. This operation led to five insurgents being successfully arrested and detained. This second arrest operation was authorized after an enormous IED had exploded in the northern Sangin Wadi (river), potentially endangering the lives of local nationals and the ANA.”
The ANA Soldiers from the 2-3-215 Kandak, are under the Command of Col Wadood, who authorised the insurgents to be detained and arranged for their onward transportation to Shorabak, the ANA 215 Corps Head Quarters. From here the detainees will be taken to Lashkar Gah for trial under the Afghan judicial system.
Pictures: LA(PHOT) Si Ethell
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Things are looking up - the ANA training has not been a waste of time....Good work
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