The Army has used a new weapon against Taliban roadside bombs in Afghanistan for the first time, the Ministry of Defence said. Royal Engineers fired the Python rocket-powered mine clearance system to blow up improvised explosive devices (IEDs) lined along a route in Helmand Province as part of the ongoing Operation Moshtarak.
The Python is mounted on a trailer pulled behind a Trojan armoured engineer tank. It is then propelled back like a catapult, shooting a snake of high explosives high into the air and on to a minefield, where it detonates.The weapon was used to clear a dry river bed of IEDs north of Patrol Base Wahid in Nad-e-Ali district in Helmand yesterday, the MoD said.
Lieutenant Colonel Matt Bazeley, commanding officer of 28 Engineer Regiment, added: "We are clearing this belt of death so that civilians and their families can begin to live without fear of being blown to pieces by a cowardly and dishonourable enemy that is happy to kill indiscriminately."
A Trojan, which is fitted with a large plough on the front, was also used to clear a safe passage through a suspected IED field near Showal in Nad-e-Ali on Saturday.
This was the first time the plough had been used on an active operation in Afghanistan, the MoD said.
About 15,000 Nato and Afghan troops are involved in Operation Moshtarak, an offensive to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in Helmand.
UK forces are concentrating their efforts on the town of Nad-e-Ali, while US Marines are battling in nearby Marjah.
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