Signs of progress in central Helmand

Three months after the launch of Operation Moshtarak, clear signs of progress are evident throughout central Helmand.

“There are many positive indicators, especially in the areas of development and economic growth,” said Major General Nick Carter, commander of ISAF Regional Command (South). “We have roads being built, district centers being reconstructed, and a lot of minor infrastructure projects underway.”

Governance and Education

Freedom of movement is key to delivering governance – in the form of traditional shuras as well as in other ways such as health services, education and the judiciary. Since the first day of the operation, shuras called by provincial and district leaders have been instrumental in gaining the people’s confidence. These gatherings bring local elders together with government and combined force representatives, and they provide participants with an opportunity to raise concerns and discuss local matters.


Election shuras were held in Chah Anjir, the Nad’ Ali district center and the Bolan “T” junction between April 26 and 28, 2010. Attendance at the shuras was approximately 1,200, 400 and 1,200 plus, respectively, indicating local nationals felt secure enough to begin to engage with their government in large numbers. Of note is the strong showing of nearly 500 squatters from the Bolan “T,” who turned out to ensure they have a seat at the GIRoA table.

On May 11, 2010, an election shura was held in Nad’ Ali to choose new members for the district community council. More than 600 elders came together and elected 45 members to represent the district. It was a positive event, and the elders were happy with the district’s new representation.

Governance is taking root throughout the region. A growing number of key government positions are being filled in the districts of Marjeh and Nad’ Ali. Additional administrative offices are being built and enhanced services are being offered to residents, including new health care clinics and schools.

Vast improvements in education have been seen in central Helmand with the opening of new schools and the hiring of new teachers. The first schools, held under tents or in the open air, were established within a week of the commencement of Operation Moshtarak. There are now 13 schools in Nad-e Ali and nine in Marjah with 150 GIRoA-licensed teachers providing instruction to an estimated 3105 students. Approximately 425 of these students are girls.

Economic Growth

One of the most visible signs of economic growth is the re-opening of local markets. Many of them had been closed for years, especially during the time of Taliban rule. Early on, with the addition of a modest amount of security and freedom of movement, activity at bazaars quickly increased as well as the quality and quantity of goods, and more than 20 markets are now open for business, attracting more vendors and shoppers than ever before. To date, nearly $400,000 has been spent refurbishing bazaars in Nad’ Ali and Marjah. There is a $1 million project getting underway to rehabilitate the Loy Chareh Bazaar, which will employ more than 100 laborers and benefit thousands of local and regional Afghans by improving the variety and amount of goods traded within the southeast Marjah area.

“The basic point is that you’re seeing stability and prosperity begin to flourish in central Helmand and what you see is a consumer culture beginning to happen,” said Carter.

Programs such as the Governor’s Food Zone Program, AVIPA plus and the Marjah Accelerated Agricultural Transition Program (MAAT-P) help Helmand farmers move from growing poppy to cultivating legal crops. Without these alternatives, farmers find it difficult, if not impossible, to make this important change. At the end of the first week of May, the economic stimulus phase of MAAT-P came to a close, and 7,000 hectares of farm land were registered and verified, representing nearly half of the farmland that USDA estimated could be used for poppy.


The provincial government’s seed distribution program has proven extremely successful. Seeds have been provided to 20,000 farmers in the area, most of whom were previously dependent on poppy cultivation for their livelihood. These programs have created the required combination of farm preparation and inputs for the next season that gives the farmer a chance to break the cycle of poppy.

“Cash-for-work” programs are employing approximately 4,000 local residents per day, and nearly 80,000 “man-labour” days have been paid out for initiatives. Road construction and irrigation improvements, in particular, will enable farmers to get their products to market and help the Helmand valley reclaim its title as the “breadbasket of Afghanistan”.

Security and freedom of movement

Despite notable successes in development and economic growth, there are still challenges to be faced in the region. Insurgents continue to be active in the area, particularly in Marjah. Their weapon of choice – the improvised explosive device (IED) – remains a lethal threat to local residents, government officials and combined forces.

Fortunately, the number of IED strikes in central Helmand is declining, while the number of IED finds is rising. This positive trend is attributed to effective partnering of combined forces and the growing number of local residents volunteering information to combined forces about the location of IEDs.


While the decrease in IED strikes is a very positive development, it has been accompanied by a troubling spike in small arms engagements in Marjah. Using hit-and-run tactics that endanger both civilians and combined forces, insurgents have mounted an aggressive intimidation campaign.

“We have been in large parts of Nad’ Ali for at least 15 months at the point at which we launched the Operation Moshtarak, “ said Carter, “so the project is at least a year further on than Marjah. The point is that by being a year further on and by adopting the approach and the amount of resources that have been applied to it, one will see what will happen in Marjah in due course.”

Freedom of movement in central Helmand continues to improve. A recent analysis revealed a dramatic increase in vehicle movements along the main traffic artery, Route 608, that runs from Nad’ Ali down through Marjah. Weekly vehicle flow numbers for local residents travelling this road increased by 440 percent between March 20 and May 8. The latest reports show nearly 40,000 vehicle trips along Route 608 in a one-week period. This is a very encouraging sign that people are more confident in the security situation.

“There is still work to be done in both Marjah and Nad’ Ali,” said Carter. “But the trends are positive, and my bet is that we’re in a good place in terms of the resources available on the ground and in the way in which the campaign is progressing.”

Operation Moshtarak is an Afghan-led initiative to assert government authority in the centre of Helmand province. Afghan and ISAF partners are engaging in this counter-insurgency operation at the request of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Helmand provincial government.

Moshtarak is a Dari word for "together".

Peaceful election held in Nad 'Ali district

Over 600 community elders travelled into Nad 'Ali district centre this week to cast their votes in a secret ballot to decide the 45 members of the Nad 'Ali District Community Council.

The peaceful and successful local election for the district council of a region which was one of the key focal points of the recent Operation MOSHTARAK were held at the District Governor's compound.

When this election was last held, in early 2009, the pre-election shura, a meeting attended by candidates, voters and local elders, was disrupted by violence and widespread intimidation. A decision was then taken to hold the election in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, as Nad 'Ali was deemed too dangerous.

The last year has seen big improvements in terms of security and development throughout the Nad 'Ali region.

Operation MOSHTARAK was carried out to extend the authority of the Afghan Government in central Helmand, removing the largest remaining safe havens in the area for the Taliban.

This improved freedom of movement along key transport routes, allowing the local economy to flourish. It also made Nad 'Ali a more secure place to live.

This year's pre-election shuras, held throughout the Nad 'Ali district, were attended by approximately 3,600 local people - an amazing number considering this is an area that only a year ago was considered unsafe.

At these shuras, the elders discussed and nominated the candidates for the 18 electoral zones.

Although there were still some reports of intimidation towards candidates by the insurgents, security provided by the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, supported by International Security Assistance Force troops, allowed the election to proceed smoothly and without incident.

The District Governor, Habibullah Khan, welcomed his guests and said:

"We are here to nominate a new District Community Council and we can then resolve your local issues in a democratic way."

This election was unique as it was the first time that representation had been given to the people from the 'desert zone' of the Nad 'Ali region.

They now have seven candidates on the District Community Council who will provide a democratic voice for them to discuss their specific issues at district-level.

Insurgents have previously targeted those who are dislocated from local communities in order to influence and recruit them.

By having a democratic stake in the District Community Council, the people from the desert region have been reconnected and have a claim in their own political future, making them less susceptible to Taliban influence.

The Deputy Provincial Governor of Helmand, Abdul Sattar, who was present at the election representing the Provincial Governor, Gulab Mangal, said:

"I am very happy to be here today and see the hundreds of elders who have come here from all over the Nad 'Ali area to this election.

"It is important that you nominate senior, loyal and democratic people to represent you.

"This is a clear demonstration that locals can take decisions for their future. This is democracy; we have struggled for over three decades for this system. Thanks to all of you for trusting democracy."

The election process was organised and overseen by the Independent Directorate for Local Government together with Governor Mangal.

The Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) provided support with the Helmand Afghan Social Outreach Programme, a UK-funded governance programme designed to develop and implement district councils as a bridge between local communities and government.

PRT Governance Advisor, Derek Griffiths, said:

"This election clearly demonstrates the willingness and enthusiasm of the local nationals across the whole district to get involved in the democratic debate. The security situation last year would have made what has happened today unthinkable."

Three other district councils in Helmand province have already been voted for in addition to the District Community Council in Nad 'Ali. They are in Gereshk, Nawa and Garmsir.

Afghan soldier blog: the uncertainty of war

For Channel 4

Trooper Pete Sheppard, from the Brigade Reconnaissance Force, writes from Afghanistan about being constantly on alert for those unexpected days.


Trooper Pete Sheppard is a radio operator with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), which is part of Operation Moshtarak against insurgents in Helmand province.

Today we got up for 0700. It was already quite warm so we knew it was going to be a hot day.

The first patrols left our location at 0900 on foot in order to secure a vehicle check point (VCP) and interact with locals.

At 1050 another one of our troops got airlifted by helicopter 4km away. The plan was for the guys at the VCP to draw the insurgents out to them and then the guys dropped off by the helicopter could cut them off. Simultaneous to this, another patrol left our location by foot as a back up, in case something happened.

Strangely nothing happened.

The insurgents were very quiet all day, maybe due to the losses they received yesterday. There were a few suspicious locals but nothing came of this. The patrols returned early afternoon when the sun was in its prime.

The thing with this place is you never know what the days going to bring.

You can prepare yourself for a big engagement - and we all convince ourselves its going happen - and the day goes off without a whisper. And other days - routine days when it should be quiet - all hell breaks loose.

The weather has increased by over five degrees this week. Lads are returning off these patrols dripping in sweat.

They look exhausted – but they continuously soldier on and are constantly ready to get called out again – ready for those unexpected days.

Still getting bitten, but the anti-histamine cream is helping. Slowly.

One day closer to home.

Afghanistan: Moshtarak a success...now we'll rebuild

By Bob Roberts Daily Mirror
Pictures by Maj Paul Smyth

Aid was ordered into the old Taliban badlands yesterday as our forces declared success in Operation Moshtarak.

After weeks of fighting, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander went to the front line to see the results of the huge military operation.

Walking through the village of Khowshhal Kalay

And in the Helmand village of Khowshhal Kalay, where just three months ago the Taliban ruled, the Mirror joined the two men on foot patrol. Around 600 insurgents died here in heavy fighting as well as two British soldiers.

It is a dusty, dirty place with irrigation ditches filled with green water.

Ramshackle mud buildings line the rough tracks, some still showing the damage of fighting.

An Afghan National Policeman in the village of Khowshhal Kalay

Fresh opium poppies are being grown in small fields. But a road impassable a few months ago now has open shops with people willing to shake hands with British ministers without fear of bloody reprisals.

Ragged children play in the streets. A mosque with a tower used by Taliban snipers is being rebuilt. There are heavily fortified police checkpoints.

The foundations of a new school are also being built. Within a month it will provide education for 600 boys and girls.

Before Moshtarak, Forward Patrol Base Sangaan, where British troops were stationed here, was under siege. Soldiers could not leave without heavy fighting. A Grenadier Guard grins as he says: "We haven't been shot at for three weeks.'' Brigadier James Cowan, in charge of UK military operations in Helmand, is a cautious man. Asked whether Operation Moshtarak was a victory, he says: "I don't like the word victory.

"It suggests one army defeating another. We are here to win over the people.'' But pushed he makes clear the operation is a success. "There is more to be done but we have made very good progress.'' Standing in Forward patrol Base Samsor after his walkabout, Mr Ainsworth said: "The foundations have been laid. We have seen it today... smiling Afghans, happy to walk up and engage with us.'' He admitted there was likely to be a counteroffensive to retake the ground. But now the work to rebuild the village in the district of Nad e Ali and other areas begins.

Mr Alexander announced yesterday there would be an extra £28million invested here over the next three years. He said: "As soon as the fighting stops the stabilisation begins.

"The money will contribute to the roads, to the irrigation, to the seeds this population needs in the future."

Khowshhal is a small, scruffy village in a far-flung part of Afghanistan.

An RAF Chinook flies in the visitors to Khowshhal Kalay

But the soldiers who fought here and the politicians who visit believe it provides a big answer to whether the war in Afghanistan is winnable. It is.

Taliban commander surrenders to British Troops

A TOP Taliban commander has been grabbed in a raid by hero UK soldiers reports the Daily Star Sunday.

Picture: Maj Paul Smyth. 1 R WELSH soldiers on patrol with ANA and French troops.

He was the last insurgent boss prepared to stand and fight against Operation Moshtarak, the allied effort to wipe out the rebels in Helmand, southern Afghanistan.

Haji Akhundzada was found cowering in a compound in southern Nad-e-Ali after a tip-off from locals. He had co-ordinated attacks and was behind the deaths of several British and Afghan troops.

His improvised explosive device (IED) network may have been involved in the blast 20 miles away which killed Sunday Mirror reporter Rupert Hamer, 39, and seriously wounded photographer Philip Coburn, 43.

Akhundzada surrendered without firing a shot when a unit of Grenadier Guards and Afghan soldiers surrounded the compound where he was staying.

They ordered out those inside by megaphone and 12 women and 17 children emerged.

After he was nabbed, seven other men were quizzed, leading to two of them being detained.

British troops also found “several items of interest” linking the suspects with recent bomb attacks.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman told the Daily Star Sunday: “This will provide an important blow to the insurgents, taking away one of the few Taliban commanders who was willing to fight during Operation Moshtarak.

“Most Taliban commanders fled, leaving their fi ghters without leadership or supplies.

“This commander was also important within the Taliban IED network and as such will affect their ability to source the components and explosives to create such weapons.”

It is just the latest success by British soldiers in Operation Moshtarak, the biggest NATO offensive since troops first went into Afghanistan nine years ago.

In another Nad-e-Ali raid, UK troops uncovered a major weapons dump hiding two 23mm artillery shells, four rocket-propelled grenades, an 81mm mortar, a 105mm mortar, two metal rods packed with home-made explosive (HME), two five-gallon jugs filled with HME, 40lb of loose explosives, 1lb of propellant and 20 pressure plates.

And British troops killed six Taliban fighters, captured two and found bomb-making gear after a ferocious firefight.

The Taliban’s main response has been more IEDs. Last week a Taliban bomb killed an innocent Afghan family of 11 in Helmand.

British PM makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

Early wins in a major anti-Taliban push in southern Afghanistan offered a "beacon of hope," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Saturday during a surprise visit to troops.



During a lightning eight-hour visit to Helmand province, Brown cautioned that it was vital to "win the peace as well as the war" and vowed that British troops would stay in Afghanistan until their job was done.

"That's why it's so crucial that in just 20 days since the start of the operation, the combined international and Afghan forces, military and civilian, have begun turning a stronghold of brutal Taliban insurgency into a beacon of hope for local people," he told reporters.

Before Brown left Camp Bastion, one of the biggest military bases in Afghanistan, Britain's Ministry of Defence reported the death of a British soldier in an explosion in Helmand Friday.

The death in the Sangin district, which the ministry said was not connected to the ongoing assault that Brown referred to, brings to 269 the number of British troops killed since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

In what is likely to be his last trip to Afghanistan before a general election expected on May 6, Brown met British troops at Camp Bastion and two frontline posts in Nad Ali, including one taken in Operation Mushtarak, currently under way in Helmand.

Mushtarak, in which US Marines have led 15,000 troops against Taliban insurgents in two poppy growing districts, Marjah and Nad Ali, is the first test of a counter-insurgency strategy for speeding an end to the war.

Around 4,000 of Britain's 10,000 troops in Afghanistan have been taking part in the campaign launched on February 13, in which troops are now consolidating control of the opium-producing target area.

Commanders on the ground have said they do not yet have complete control, but are paving the way for Afghan-led security and civil services.

Recent gains in Operation Mushtarak are set to be followed up in other Taliban strongholds in Helmand and neighbouring Kandahar province over the coming 12-18 months.

But the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in a strong statement issued in Kabul, warned that civilian control in the the Marjah area was still elusive due to the Taliban's lingering presence in the area.

The Marjah farming area had been so heavily mined with IEDs that civilians were largely confined indoors and the sick and injured could not be evacuated for help, the ICRC said.

"Improvised mines and other explosive devices are posing a deadly threat to civilians in Marjah," Reto Stocker, head of the ICRC in Kabul, was quoted in a statement as saying.

"They make it almost impossible for people to venture out or to evacuate the sick and wounded, who therefore receive little or no medical care," he said.

The Taliban is the only party in the Afghan war to use IEDs, said Bijan Farnoudi, the ICRC's spokesman in Kabul, adding: "The improvised mines in Marjah have been left behind in huge numbers by the Taliban."

Brown said training local police was a pivotal part of the plan to hand security over to the Afghans so foreign troops can start withdrawing.

"We will do everything we can to support you with the equipment necessary and the resources you need," Brown told an audience at the Helmand police training centre on the outskirts of Laskhar Gah, Helmand's capital.

Brown flew to Afghanistan after giving evidence to Britain's public inquiry into the Iraq war on Friday, when he denied accusations that he did not properly fund the military in that conflict when he was finance minister, before taking over as prime minister from Tony Blair in 2007.

"I've been planning this visit for some time," he told reporters in Helmand. "The last four years I have come here around this time just to meet the troops to see what progress has been made."

Waiting to go out on bomb patrol

Channel 4 News

Trooper Pete Sheppard spends another quiet day back at base before preparing to go out on patrol tomorrow, checking there are no IEDs on the tracks the soldiers are walking on.



Trooper Pete Sheppard is a radio operator with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), which is part of Operation Moshtarak against insurgents in Helmand province.

Been another quiet day today, a couple of patrols went out but on the whole a chilled day.

The lads are getting restless, they cannot wait to get back to camp.

I have been told that I am going out with one of the patrols tomorrow to conduct Barma (checking that there are no IEDs on the tracks that we are walking on). It should be interesting.

A few of us played a little game of touch rugby earlier. It was good fun however really tiring! A couple of guys from the ATF (Afghan Task Force) joined in and it was amusing watching them trying to gather the concept of the rules.

Tonight is just prepping my kit so I am good to go tomorrow morning, making sure I have enough water, fresh batteries, spare batteries and something quick to eat if needed to.

My fingers are crossed everything goes well tomorrow.

Afghanistan downtime sparks discussion

Channel 4

Trooper Pete Sheppard posts his latest blog from Operation Moshtarak, revealing the difficulty of identifying insurgents and the conversations among the troops.

Trooper Pete Sheppard is a radio operator with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), which is part of Operation Moshtarak against insurgents in Helmand Province.

It was yet another quiet day for the BRF.

The troops went out through the night last night on routine patrols to observe any enemy activity. Upon returning to our leaguer they took the opportunity to catch up on much deserved rest.

A few of the guys have been talking amongst each other expressing their desire not to come back out here to Afghanistan. Some of the lads want to just leave the army altogether. I can appreciate the stress it puts the lads on with regards to their wife and children if they have any back at home.

For me though, the military seems to be the right career.

It has been quiet cloudy today, not as warm as recent days which I hope is just a temporary thing. However the nice cool breeze is refreshing.

A couple of vehicles went and got some food re-supplies yesterday. Included in this was American rations, water, an assortment of chocolate bars and a load of sweets sent through from the welfare packs. We all really appreciate these.

A couple of our troops went out on a patrol about 1600 and received some small arms fire. They returned fire as trained and took cover.

We were getting a lot of insurgent chatter over their radios saying that they could see us and were going to start firing again. But nothing further came from this.

The insurgent took cover in a compound and we waited for our air assets to try and positively ID him with a weapon. We couldn’t see anything so they withdrew. Once back at our location, our air assets picked up two assessed insurgents with one believed to be carrying a weapon of some sort across his back.

So we sent another patrol out to follow these guys up. Once the patrol had eyes on the two insurgents we saw them walk away and could not do anything about it.

Maybe a busy night for us tonight.

Tim from the fire support team dropped two packs of noodles that he was cooking. He got those from a welfare pack. He is not a happy man.

PICTURE of the day: On patrol near Patrol Base Shaheed

Patrol Base Shaheed is a very multinational place. Built during Op Mashtarak this small outpost is a vital link in the network of new bases put up to provide security in the wake of the biggest air assault since 2001 that took place here just over two weeks ago.

Each day soldiers from England, Wales, Afghanistan as well as an assortment of nationalities represented by the contingent of French Foreign Legion.

Partnered together the soldiers patrol their patch providing the local population with much needed security.

Corporal William from B Company, 1 R WELSH provides a radio link to keep the HQ up to date with the patrol.

A soldier from the Foreign Legion scans the horizon for any threats.

Corporal Williams listens to a brief from a multiple commander about and IED find.

A local elder chats to the patrol as it passes his compound.

A warrior (the Afghan rank equivalent of a private) with a very potent RPG (rocket propelled grenade).

Local children come out to see the patrol.

Taking a break while the next phase of the patrol is briefed back to HQ.

An American A10 tank buster dives in low in a ‘show of force’. No one is left in any doubt we have some serious support up above.

The ANA patrol commander monitoring his team on the radio.

An ANA machine gunner.

Local farmers taking a break from tending their crop.

Pictures: Major Paul Smyth

Soldier: dealing with death 'is our job'

Channel 4 News

Trooper Pete Sheppard, on the front line in Afghanistan, writes: "It's crazy to think that one minute someone is there and the next he's not. But this is what we sign up to do and it is our job."

Trooper Pete Sheppard is a radio operator with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), which is part of Operation Moshtarak against insurgents in Helmand Province.

The Ministry of Defence announced Sergeant Paul Fox, attached to the BRF, was killed on Friday 26 February following an explosion in Nad Ali.

It was a weird day on Sunday, weather-wise. It has been nice and hot for the past few days and then over night there was a lot of thunder and lightning lighting up the sky.

It was shortly followed up by a large outburst of heavy rain/hail stones. It only lasted a couple of hours and in the morning the weather has gone back to normal again with clear blue skies.

Was speaking to one of the lads who was in Foxy's troop and he was saying how it hasn't even sunk in yet what had happened. He then said it probably will soon though. I think that is generally the same feeling across most of us.

It's crazy to think that one minute someone is there and the next he's not. But this is what we sign up to do and it is our job.

The local children are jumping into the small canal near us to cool down. They seem oblivious to our presence and are enjoying themselves, somersaulting into the cool water. One of the interpreters joined in and was jumping in as well, while we just observed.

The lads were talking about getting to Cyprus. We all are looking forward to coming home now. Just counting the days down still.

Everyday is just one closer to coming home.

Can't wait.

First steps for stability in Marjah?

Mr Khalili (c) looks on as a US marine gave medical treatment to an Afghan mine victim in Marjan

By Chris Morris
BBC News, Marjah, Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Vice-President, Abdul Karim Khalili, has visited the town of Marjah in Helmand Province, days after the national flag was raised over the former Taliban stronghold.

Nothing too surprising about that, you might think.

After all, Marjah has been the main focus of Operation Moshtarak, the largest military operation carried out by Nato and its Afghan allies since 2001.

But Mr Khalili's fleeting visit - accompanied by Nato commander, Gen Stanley McChrystal and senior civilian representative, Mark Sedwill - draws attention to one of the most critical issues in this entire campaign.

Can the Afghan government, the central government in Kabul, actually deliver on its promises?

After stepping off a Nato helicopter, Mr Khalili certainly sought to reassure a crowd of local men gathered in a field on the edge of town.

'Only the beginning'

"We will bring peace and stability," he said.

"It is not going to be like the past. We will stay, and we will build and we will defend you.

"This," he said, "is only the beginning."

But do they believe him? Should they believe him?

There is no question that people have been badly let down before.

Mr Khalili's audience was polite but subdued. There were complaints about family members who were killed in the military operation, and about property which had been damaged or destroyed.

There is clearly a long way to go to establish trust. But Nato commanders hope something positive is beginning to happen.

Having a senior politician from Kabul visiting an area where the Taliban had held sway for so long in the absence of any government presence is a good first step.

"He came down to see Marjah and to represent the president," Gen McChrystal said as he watched from the sidelines, "[…] and, particularly in a difficult security environment, to get direct feedback from the people is really key".

For the full report click here for BBC Online

Operation Moshtarak: finally working together?

Operation Moshtarak is different to other operations in the Afghan war because of the role taken by Afghan troops, writes former Paratrooper and video journalist Josh Fortune.

Josh Fortune is a former paratrooper who is now working for NATOchannel.tv as a video journalist. He has been in Afghanistan since April 2008.

"They look awfully like UFOs," I thought, looking up at the six glowing lights in the sky, which were hanging ominously above us several kilometers away like some sort of silent sentinels.

They were the next wave of Canadian and British Chinook helicopters, preparing to swoop down and deliver their load of Afghan and British soldiers into Northern Nad Ali to mark the start of Operation Moshtarak – which means "together" in Dari, one of the primary languages spoken in Afghanistan.

Moshtarak was supposed to herald the first truly joint operation where Afghan and ISAF forces would live, work, and fight alongside each other in clearing out the Taliban and bringing security to parts of central Helmand.

I must admit that prior to the mission I was sceptical. I had been involved in the heli-borne air assault on Operation Khanjar last summer, where 4,000 Marines were dropped into parts of Southern Helmand. That operation was supposed to be joint as well.

However, it rapidly became clear to me that in the area I was in the only Afghan presence was a couple of token border police. They had very little role in the proceedings and only ever seemed to hinder the Marines as opposed to helping them.

After two years over here – and many operations in Helmand - my cynical edge seemed intent on telling me that Moshtarak would be more of the same, that the Afghan forces would have little effect, and that ISAF would be doing all the work with the Afghan soldiers unwillingly riding the coat tails of their coalition counterparts.

The eerie lights in the sky wheeled into the Camp Bastion helipad, and the Estonian and Afghan soldiers I was embedded with began to make their way to their assigned Chinook.

As we ran towards the overwhelming heat and noise of the Chinook, I struggled to think of any time in the past that I had heard of Afghan and ISAF forces involved in an air assault together – I had certainly never seen anything like it, and I doubted that it had ever happened on such a large scale before.

The ride to our LZ (or Landing Zone) was a brief one, and after six or seven minutes of staring into the dimly lit face of the Afghan soldier sitting opposite me, an Estonian soldier pounded my shoulder and bellowed "ONE MINUTE" in my ear.

I put my thumb up and duly passed the message on down the line. The Chinook touched down, and we all bundled out – into thick, wet mud.

For the full article click here for Channel 4

General McChrystal visits Camp Bastion

Today, General Stanley McChrystal undertook a whirlwind tour of Camp Bastion. He linked up with senior US Commanders, briefed coalition troops and met staff at the Field Hospital. It was a real bang for your bucks visit that allowed military staffs to have an extensive insight into Commander ISAF’s current thinking.



He told the mixed audience of British, US, Danish, Estonian and French troops that the most important thing that they can do is “to put yourself in the position of the local Afghans”. He outlined that he spent 75% of his time understanding the people and argued that by doing this, it significantly reduced the need to deploy soldiering skills. Only by understanding the Afghan people can you enhance credibility.

He then talked of Operation Moshtarak. “2009”, he said, “was all about condition setting. We knew that we had to take a different approach to the operations in Marjah and Nad-e-Ali. We were keen to let locals and the taleban know three things: firstly, we are going to stay, secondly, we are going in as a partnership and thirdly, Afghan forces are making the decisions”.

A member of the audience questioned him on rules of engagement and the fact that taleban fighters were using civilians as human shields. On the subject of civilian casualties his message was very clear.

“The rules are not fair. If we go after the fly with a sledgehammer we lose. The taleban are goading the coalition forces to over-react.” He said this was a feature of counter insurgency conflicts. The trick according to General McChrystal was to continue to develop our maturity in these matters.

“You almost have to be superhuman. Whilst being shot at you need to see the big picture, ask yourself what is the consequence of retaliation? This is a tough ask for our junior people”

He concluded his time by thanking each and everyone in the room. “Everyone here could be somewhere else probably making more money and being closer to family; instead you are doing something really hard for someone else – that makes you a pretty extraordinary group of people”.

Picture credit: Squadron Leader Dee Taylor

Open for Business in Showal

By the end of February over half the bazaar in Showal is open for business, with more shops opening on a daily basis. This is a complete change of fortune. Prior to Operation Moshtarak the bazaar had been closed entirely, primarily due to the threat of IEDs.

Local Afghan people are being sent the message through shuras and the local radio station that stalls are stocked and that coalition forces are constantly patrolling the area. And word is getting out.


However, at a recent shura local people are still worried about the threat of IEDs along the village roads leading into Showal. The Afghan National Civil Order Police Commander at Showal, Colonel Abdul Mohammed said ““We are here to provide reassurance of security”.

Security patrols are 'de rigeur' in Showal, and for A Company, 1 Royal Welsh Regiment there is a keenness to ensure routes are clear and encourage people to use the market. The ANA play no small part in these patrols, with their numbers weighted at 60% of the patrol.

There is an abundance of shops and stalls open ranging from fresh produce to footballs. And certainly, the meat-seller was doing brisk business; not least amongst his customers were ANA soldiers. “The food here is good, and so very fresh” said Narjeev, the 2IC of the ANA company in Showal. To prove a point, members of the British forces were invited to dine, on a regular basis, with their Afghan hosts at supper time.


The opening of the bazaar has been welcomed by locals. A local elder who did not wish to be named said “We had to travel as far as Lashkar Gah for food, which could take up to 4 hours in a round trip”. Now his family have access again to the bazaar and he is very keen that people should able to shop locally.

Elders in the village are spreading the word that the locals should feel confident to shop at the bazaar but also feeding back to ISAF that they must continue to provide security. It is a message that is not lost on CO A Company, Major Sean Hackney.

“Our aim is to restore business as usual, pre-Taleban intimidation”. So on a security footing and commercial footing progress is definitely being made, with growth in the number of stallholders touting for business being more palpable on a daily basis.

Pictures: Squadron Leader Dee Taylor

Afghan flag flies over Marjah

A young boy smiles as the Afghan flag flies once again over the town of Marjah in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province. The flag was raised in a ceremony involving Helmand governor Gulab Mangal, community officials, and Afghan and ISAF security partners.

The flag-raising symbolized the return of government authority in the community, a focal point of governance activities since the start of Operation Moshtarak.

The goal of Moshtarak – Dari for "together" – is for the combined force (ANA, ANP, ISAF and the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team) to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in asserting its authority in central Helmand, thereby demonstrating the government’s commitment to the people living there.

Afghan mission 'gone well' but real battle to come

Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup meets Colonel Abdul Mohammed the ANA Commander at Showal. Picture: Sqn Ldr Dee Taylor, RAF

On a visit to Helmand, the head of the armed forces has said that British troops have performed superbly in Operation Moshtarak, and that the initial phase has gone well.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup was speaking as he flew in to Showal, formerly the heartland of the Taliban's shadow government.

He said there were still pockets of resistance further south in Marjah, where the Americans have been fighting, and some resistance in Nad Ali, but that levels had eased considerably over the last few days.

Security was tight for Sir Jock's visit.

In the skies, an Apache attack helicopter was visible as it circled above, while soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh kept watch as the head of the armed forces came to talk to British and Afghan forces involved in Operation Moshtarak.

Speaking at a patrol base in the town, which appeared relatively quiet, he thanked British and Afghan forces for their work.

"Op Moshtarak is just the initial phase, and the clear phase went extraordinarily well, and it was a professionally-executed operation that went very smoothly. Our forces performed superbly."

However, he told the BBC that the coalition was not complacent.

"This is a tough fight, and it is a hard campaign, and you have got some pretty determined and quite clever opponents. They have a vote in this, and we have to be able to react to that, to enable us to keep them on the back foot," he said.

'Test the ground'

Just two weeks ago, the Taliban flag flew over this town; as the coalition moved in, it was replaced with the Afghan national flag that now flies from a tall white crane, visible from the low reinforced mud walled compounds that surround it.

However, soldiers here say that although many of the insurgents melted away after 4,000 coalition and Afghan troops launched the overall operation - 1,200 of them dropped in by air on D-Day - many insurgents remained to watch and test the ground.

Three British soldiers died during the "clear" phase of the operation.

Outside the military compound in Showal, young men from the town sit on the riverbank.

Some covered their faces as we passed; a few of the younger children smiled.

But the impression was of people waiting warily, wondering which side it will prove safest to support.

Last week, insurgents managed to place an IED makeshift bomb beneath a British truck, 20 yards from the crane. Nobody was hurt; only part of the charge went off.

"The Taliban haven't left - they're always looking for weaknesses, and they'll come back when they get the manpower again. But we're prepared for that," says Fusilier Dave Rollings, 24, from Cardiff, of the 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh.

Cpl Spiros Parry, 28, from Penygoves in Wales, agrees.

"It wasn't as heavy as we thought it would be, but it's still been eventful. Everyone's aware of the threat from IEDs, but the boys are doing well finding them, and the teams have cleared the routes for the convoys. So far, so good."

For the full article click here for BBC Online

Soldier's blog from Afghanistan frontline

By Trooper Pete Sheppard for Channel 4 News

Contact IED... We have a casualty". With these words over the radio, Trooper Pete Sheppard heard of the death of fellow soldier Sergeant Paul Fox.

Trooper Sheppard is a radio operator with Sergeant Fox's unit, the Brigade Reconaissance Force, which is involved in Operation Moshtarak in Helmand Province.

In the latest of his dispatches for Channel 4 News online, Trooper Sheppard describes the attack in which Sergeant Fox died, the reaction of his comrades-in-arms and their subsequent operation against insurgents suspected of the attack.
Sergeant Fox

It was relatively quiet for the remainder of the day yesterday but the evening was a time to reflect and remember.

Then, at 2030 hrs, we managed to get eyes on four people digging and loitering around the area of the IED strike that caused our casualty.

We were able to positively identify them as insurgents by using both our air assets and observation equipment, and we observed them re-planting another IED.

We were also able to track them moving away to their night time location. Again, another early start this morning, we were up at 0215!

The troops went out on a patrol to go and introduce themselves to the insurgents at their compound… The insurgents mounted a heavy resistance, using automatic weapons and grenades, but were quickly subdued by our guys.

We were able to obtain a lot of evidence including weapons and radios. A great result today! Everyone is chuffed with the positive strike.

We did have a minor casualty when gaining entry but he is going to be fine. Everyone is tired. We are just going to rest for the remainder of the day, whilst waiting to send the evidence and the detainees back up the chain of command for questioning and investigation.

Our American Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, which has been frequently attached to us, went on a further patrol and dealt with the IED that was replanted by the insurgents last night. Again another great find – we probably saved someone’s life by finding it and removing the device – and are particularly pleased to have captured the insurgents who laid it.

Another day down. One less to go. Oh, and just in case you didn’t crack it - Answer to the Thursday’s riddle; An Umbrella.

The BRF is outside a small Patrol Base and the vehicles are in a close knit formation. The surrounding area is rural, a lot of farming fields around us with a series of compounds in the near distance.

Our task on this operation is to find, fix and exploit any insurgents in the area. Over the last couple of days we have been conducting clearance patrols moving through compounds methodically. There is a small canal about 3 metres wide just in front of us running north to south.

Other than that the area around is still quite dry. There hasn’t been any large amount of rain for a while, only short light bursts.

Everyone was up for 0345 hours this morning to go out on more clearance patrols. Then at about 0615, there was a big explosion. Everyone looked at each other instantly. Then over the radio net came “CONTACT IED!” another look of shock came across our faces.

Seconds later – “We have a casualty!” everyone went quiet, then “it’s Foxy!” The adrenaline and training kicked in. We started to prep the ‘9 liner’, a situation report needed to send up the chain of command to make them aware of what had happened and of the injuries sustained.

Moments later the medivac helicopter was wheels up from Camp Bastion. Over the net – “he’s in a bad way!” Again, we looked at each other.

The guys still in our position were just shaking their heads. No words were said. From my position in Squadron Headquarters it was so frustrating not being right there and able to react with the guys; I felt helpless being positioned a bit further back.

However I know my job as a radio operator is very important, passing up all the vital information, especially with an incident like this. Still, I wished I could be there to help more.

Over the insurgents’ radios we heard them congratulating each other for the attack. I let out a few expletives. “I hope the lads bloody smash these guys!” I said.

Everyone looked very annoyed at their boasting and I’m sure they were thinking similar things. After the helicopter landed and Foxy was airlifted away the troops came under small arms fire.

This is not typical of insurgent activity as we had an Apache helicopter overhead and the insurgents normally, very rightly so, are scared of it.

A few moments later they went back into hiding, unwilling to risk getting spotted by the Apache. They called over their radios for more back up. Roughly 15 minutes later the boss heard confirmation over the radio – “Your casualty is KIA”.

I looked at Donny (who had just replaced me on the radio stag) in disbelief willing him to say that I had misheard it. He just looked down and shook his head.

The troops continued to be engaged with small arms and a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) until approximately 0900, and then it went quiet. We then proceeded to advance and the lads began searching local compounds. However, nothing and no-one had been found by lunch time.

The insurgents were tantalizingly close. Over their radios they declared that they could see us, they claimed they were starting to mass troops, that they were going to stop us from leaving and that they were ready to start firing at us.

All talk, because once again it was a quiet, albeit somber afternoon. The troops on the ground weren’t officially told of Foxy’s death until they had all returned in from the patrol. This was to prevent them from not thinking straight.

The OC was told first and he then told the Corporal Major. Moments later the Squadron Corporal Major (SCM) called everyone over and told them the news.

Everyone was shocked and p*d off. It is hard losing a character like him from the team. We stayed in our small leaguer for the remainder of the day with no more patrols going out.

At about 1900 we held a service in the field, not far from where he had fallen, in memory of Sgt Paul ‘Foxy’ Fox . It started with the SCM saying “Right everyone gather round.

The Fijians are going to do a service and a few prayers for Foxy.” Jon Jon – one of the Fijians, said a few words about him. Then Rocko read a verse from the Bible, Book of Psalms, Chapter 91.

Jon Jon then went into what this verse meant. After this the group of Fijians soldiers started to sing an amazing hymn called “I need Thee, O I need Thee” They sang this in English to start of with and then for the last verse they sang it in Fijian.

Fijian choir singing is phenomenal. It really touched us all, the harmony of their song. It was blissfully quiet everywhere, all that could be heard were these soldiers singing in remembrance.

A Mortar illume round was then fired from our 81mm mortar to mark the start of a minutes silence. Everyone jumped at the loud bang it made.

Emotions were deep at this moment, thinking about Foxy and even the little things, like the last thing he said to me – asking me if I had any spare sugar for his brew, and then thanking me afterwards. Another mortar round bellowed out breaking the silence.

Then the OC came to the centre and read a poem:

“Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep;
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripening grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.”

It was a very moving poem. The SCM said “Right everyone, now’s the time to go away and talk about the fond memories we all have of Foxy. When we go to Cyprus we’ll have a drink for him and when we get back to Windsor, after the medals parade, we’ll have a toast.”

PICTURE of the day: Op Kapche Azadi

Pictures by SSgt Mark Jones on Op Kapche Azadi, Part of Phase 2 Operation Moshtarak
D Squadron, 1st Royal Tank Regiment operating in the Bolan Desert (South East of Shamal Storrai) providing security and engaging with the locals.

Viking Group on patrol in the Bolan Desert

Viking Group leaguer up for the evening

Boy on Bicycle

An inpromptu meeting with locals

Sunset in the Bolan Desert

A Shurah was held on 26 Feb by District Governer Habi Bullah with 70 Elders secured by the Afghan National Police.

Issues of future development and regeneration are discussed.

Afghan Police stand guard

Afghan engagement in stabilisation and development is key to success

Soldier's blog from Afghanistan frontline

By Trooper Pete Sheppard for Channel 4 News

Identifying insurgents on the Afghan frontline


Trooper Pete Sheppard is a radio operator with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), which is part of Operation Moshtarak against insurgents in Helmand Province.

"We are aware that the insurgents are watching us, which is frustrating as we can't visually identify them".

It was an early start this morning. Everyone only had about four hours kip - minus an hour on stag duty.

We leaguered up (putting the vehicles in a defensive formation) on the outside of a small patrol base close to the area we would be going in to exploit over the next few days.

The base is surrounded by a wall of HESCO. This provides protection to the people inside; but it seems we are on the outside providing greater security for the base.

The troops left early this morning on clearance patrols. However, no insurgents were seen nor even any evidence of them.A small number of the compounds had been set up with IEDs but the lads spotted these and information got passed up informing the headquarters of the situation on the ground.

We are aware that the insurgents are watching us, which is frustrating as we can't visually identify them unless they are doing something incriminating.

However, attached to us are the Afghan Task Force, and they are able to spot someone who is suspicious and pick up on the small things that look out of place. It really makes a difference having them with us and we rely on their local and cultural knowledge.

When the guys got back, we started our routine which included grabbing the opportunity to catch up on sleep before the next day.

One of the guys on my wagon, Donny, is due home in 28 days today. He is sure to remind us each day of this countdown to see if people bite. He is a funny guy and has a small boy back home who is very mischievous going by the stories he tells me of him.
Just chatting like this I think everyone is keen now to return home and see our family and friends.

But the good thing about the Forces is the guys you work with; the banter and the jokes. Squaddies have their own sense of humour which most of the time can only be appreciated by other squaddies! And when we are out on tense operations like this it is vital that our sense of humour is maintained.

We will be out here for a few days and this area is not fully cleared of insurgents, so it will be interesting what tomorrow brings.

In the meantime another lad called Joe that I work with likes to give us a riddle to try to solve. It gives us something to think about whilst on stag. So here is today's....

What goes up a drainpipe down, but not down a drainpipe up?

Afghanistan: Under their flag, but still under fire

Kim Sengupta, The Independant


Ten days ago, in this dusty town in Helmand the Taliban banner was triumphantly torn down and replaced with the Afghan national flag, a highly publicised celebration of the capture of Showal, where the insurgents had been running their "shadow government" for the Marjah region. A week later, just 20 metres from that newly hoisted flag, a roadside bomb exploded under a British truck.

The device had been planted on the main route into the town centre some time previously but the battery pack had been connected overnight, the telltale sign was a mound of fresh earth covering the twisted white electrical flex. One British officer noted the "sheer neck" of the Taliban in daring to activate the device in the presence of large numbers of coalition troops.

Fortunately, only the detonator and a small portion of the charge had gone off, for the full 30lbs would have made short shrift of the truck's crew and of others nearby. But the violence in the area, which was hailed as one of the first to be retaken in Operation Moshtarak, was a potent reminder that this war is far from over and many of the Taliban fighters have lived to fight another day.

If more evidence were needed, 24 hours later, on Wednesday, another improvised explosive device was found on the same road. And a shura, or public meeting, taking place in the same area near Shaheed came under fire, setting off a gun battle.

However, it cannot be said that a counter-offensive has started, that the Taliban are co-ordinating a massive response to what has been billed as the biggest Nato operation since the war began in 2001. The Taliban attacks, so far at least, have been sporadic, but they are designed to send a message that the insurgency is alive in this area, which is not only of great symbolic significance but is also a strategic arms and heroin depot for the militants, and a sanctuary where attacks can be planned and then launched elsewhere.

Operation Moshtarak got under way almost two weeks ago, heralding the start of Washington's much-trailed Afghan "surge", and the stakes could not be higher in what is now very much Barack Obama's war. The military push is to be followed by massive reconstruction and development, and a return of civic society that will hopefully pave the exit from a war that is becoming increasingly costly in "blood and treasure".

To read the full article click here