Football Fever on The Front Line

Today was to be D-Day for the English football team in South Africa, but out in Afghanistan, every day is D-Day for the British troops helping bring governance and security to Helmand.

Luckily those fortunate enough not to be on duty had the chance to watch our footballers in action at a variety of locations throughout the Province.

Troops in Camp Bastion get into the spirit early in the match

In Lashkar Gar, home to the Headquarters of Task Force Helmand (TFH), the men of 1st Battalion The Scots Guards and 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), as well as other military personnel from all parts of the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force, came together to watch the match on a big-screen TV and show their enthusiasm for the great game.

Members of TFH in Lashkar Gar watch the game on an improvised big screen

Lance Bombardier Terry Eaves of 4th Regiment Royal artillery said at half time “England always play better in the second half so the Germans should be worried. I think we’ll get a couple more in the second half.” Sadly that wasn’t to be the case.

With support for both sides strongly evident amongst the crowd, emotions ran high throughout the night. Nevertheless a great time was had by all, despite the night time temperatures being well into the 30’s and the wrong result for the English.

Captain James Ogglesby, part of the Joint Media Operations Centre from Camp Bastion commented that “England are a bit up and down at the moment; good in front but weaker at the back, they really need to tighten up and stopping making mistakes.”

However as the game slowly went downhill for England, so did the hopes and support of those the England troops watching the game.

Troops look on in anguish as Germany score again

Corporal Kirk Delaney was devastated. “I really thought we could pull it out of the bag. But Rooney wasn’t anywhere near his normal standard. And why wasn’t Crouchy on instead of Defoe? He’s scored every time he comes on. I can’t understand Cappello’s thinking.

Despite the only cold beer available being cans of the alcohol-free variety, the atmosphere was nonetheless friendly and offered a good opportunity for the troops to grab a bit of down time and relax. Roll on the Euro 2012 Championships in Poland.

TALIBAN COWARDS SEND CHILDREN TO PLANT BOMBS

By Marco Giannangeli, Sunday Express


BOYS as young as 12 are being sent to lay roadside bombs near British bases in Afghanistan.

While Taliban fighters cower behind walls, out of sight of British snipers, the children run the risk of carrying the rudimentary and highly volatile explosive devices which sometimes explode before they can be positioned.

Lieutenant Colonel Jedge Lewin, 41, a surgeon with 3 Rifles Battle Group in Sangrin, northern Helmand said: “In the past few days alone we have had five cases of children who have been exposed to blasts which have caused severe damage to or loss of hands and fingers.

“Children can pick up small explosive devices when they are playing or handle detonators when forced to plant IEDs. This is a cowardly ­Taliban tactic and when children are suffering the consequences, it’s particularly sickening.”

Last night Colonel Richard Kemp, former head of British forces in Afghanistan, said: “The Taliban have long used civilians, men and women, to draw enemy fire from their positions and the recent use of young children is a sad extension of this. It shows that they’re increasingly desperate. Tactics like this cannot be used indefinitely.”

The vile tactic is being used as thousands of British, US and Afghan troops mount the biggest push in the campaign so far to eliminate the last Taliban strongholds in Helmand Province. More than 9,500 British troops have been joined by 30,000 US marines and a large force of Afghan National Army soldiers in the biggest offensive since the conflict began in 2001. Operation Moshtarak, which means “work together”, will force insurgents out of all populated areas by the end of the year. It comes as the man in charge of all coalition forces, General Stanley McChrystal, said the situation in Afghanistan was “no longer deteriorating”.

The operation will target Taliban positions that commanders have not been able to attack due to a lack of manpower and is part two of a three-part strategy. Part one secured areas in the south, around Kandahar, and improved communications in Helmand province.

New Afghan police officers graduate

The first class of Afghan police officers to attend a new training centre graduated in a ceremony in Helmand yesterday.

More than 130 recruits of the Interim Helmand Police Training Centre attended the event in the Lashkar Gah district.

The centre was set up last month to help with the recruitment push for 160,000 police officers across Afghanistan by the end of this year. From March, the centre is expected to train 2550 students a year.

Helmand deputy governor Sattar Marzakwal told the graduates: "You have the responsibility of serving the Afghan people with dignity.

"Our people face problems in this country; however, we can solve them because you can solve them."

Brigadier James Cowan, the Commander of Task Force Helmand, said the newly trained policemen were the first step towards a safe Helmand.

"The task ahead is to bring security to Helmand in order to allow development and economic prosperity," he said. "The policemen who graduate today will join the ranks of the Helmand police force, deploying their new-found skills where they are most needed."

Guardsman Michael Harrison, a member of the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, was an instructor for the first training cycle.

He said: "To see them actually graduating now is fantastic.

"Training them has actually benefited us just as much as it's benefited them."

Marines shatter 'illusion of enemy safe haven'

British, Danish and Afghan troops took the Taliban totally by surprise last week in a daring operation launched into the heart of the enemy stronghold of Marjah in central Helmand.

The 700-strong force arrived by RAF Chinook and Royal Navy Sea King helicopters, Viking armoured vehicles, Leopard tanks, and on foot, and achieved total surprise in the latest phase of Operation AABI TOORAH ('Blue Sword').

Lieutenant Colonel Al Lister Royal Marines, Chief of Operations for Task Force Helmand, summed up the success of this phase, saying:

"This was a very successful, deliberate joint operation that demonstrated clearly to the enemy that the Task Force continues to operate where and when it chooses. Marjah has previously been a safe haven for the enemy; we have shattered that illusion and more will follow. We will continue to erode the capability and influence of the enemy and enable the extension of legitimate governance throughout Helmand."

This latest phase of Op AABI TOORAH had three main objectives: firstly, through rapid manoeuvre and build up of combat power, to surprise the enemy and disrupt their movement and planning; secondly, to confuse their situational awareness by hitting their fighting forces across several of their key, central locations; and finally, to allow the spread of legitimate Afghan governance, further enhancing the stability of the neighbouring districts of Nawa and Nad e-Ali.

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