Soldiers fight off Taliban ambush

British troops have revealed how they fought off a Taliban ambush near an Afghan polling station.

They sped to the rescue of Afghan police who came under attack while providing election security south of Gereskh in Helmand Province on Thursday.

The UK forces then escorted ballot boxes from the polling station back to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, to be counted.

Corporal Pete Swierczek, 34, from Dundee, of the RAF Police, attached to Foxtrot Company of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, spent two days at an Afghan police checkpoint near a polling station close to the village of Puplazay.

The British troops were called out after an Afghan police patrol was ambushed just over a mile south of their position.

"We got the report through and thrashed out of the check point to assist," said Cpl Swierczek.

"When we arrived we came under enemy fire from two positions, and we returned fire. The reports that we got back were that the Taliban had sustained four major casualties, who were believed to be dead."

The Gurkhas were then called on to take voting papers back to Lashkar Gah for counting.

Cpl Swierczek said: "It was pretty much a case of miscommunication with the Afghan national security forces who were intended to escort the ballot papers back. I think the Afghan National Army had to be back by a certain time and the guys ran out of time."

The Gurkhas have spent their current tour in Afghanistan mentoring the Afghan National Police. Their comrades said the Gurkhas were invaluable because of their close cultural and linguistic links with the Afghans - many of them can converse in Urdu, and they share a love of Bollywood films and dishes involving goat.

British two-ton ‘Dragon gun’ terrifies Taliban - Times

Michael Smith

BRITISH commandos have hauled a two-ton artillery gun up a 130ft cliff by hand to protect a vital strategic outpost in Afghanistan.

The weapon, which was installed under cover of night, has been so effective in guarding the town of Musa Qala in northern Helmand that the Taliban have nicknamed it “the Dragon” because of the flame that belches out of its barrel when fired.

The 105mm gun was dismantled and rebuilt at the summit of a rocky outcrop, known as the Roshan Tower, using techniques traditionally demonstrated at the Royal Tournament. Gunners from 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, normally based in Plymouth, faced a logistical challenge because the cliff face was riddled with deep cracks that threatened to crumble under the weight of the gun.

Major James Vigne, commander of 8 (Alma) Commando Battery, said: “The ammunition boxes, each weighing nearly 100lb and containing high explosive shells, also had to be manhandled up the 400-metre track which couldn’t take vehicles.

“The move was done at night to keep the gun secret from the enemy, with Gurkhas providing close protection on the hills and cliffs around. Once in place, the gun was camouflaged to prevent the enemy realising the new threat to them.”

The gun, which was installed in mid-January and is capable of firing 35lb shells, is so accurate that it can engage and hit a target 1.8 miles away within five seconds.

“The Dragon is the most feared weapon in our area by the Taliban - they are genuinely frightened by it,” added Vigne. “The Gurkhas operating from Musa Qala have been astonished by its speed, pinpoint accuracy and power.”

BRITISH TROOPS ROUT TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN

HUNDREDS of British troops including Gurkhas have routed the Taliban in a no-go area in south Afghanistan.

The force of 250 troops fought alongside Afghan National Army troops to drive the Taliban from the "Snake's Belly" area of southern Helmand province.

They braved a "maelstrom" of Taliban fire to kill dozens of the enemy in an intelligence gathering mission along several bends in the Helmand River.Operation Kapcha Baz, led by the Queen’s Dragoon Guards, followed a similar operation further south earlier this month by the 42 Commando Group.

The latest operation - which comes near the end of the soldiers' six month tour of duty - targeted Taliban strongholds which have been used as stopping off points for insurgents moving up from Pakistan to attack British bases in central and northern Helmand.

The main assault force was A Squadron 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards in heavily armed Jackal vehicles and Riflemen from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles. In one clash they caught the enemy unawares as it was preparing an ambush.Major Jody Davies of 2RGR said:

“After assessing that the enemy were no doubt lying in wait for us, we moved forward in a slow and deliberate way, fully expecting the enemy to open fire on us.

"However, we spotted the enemy first, positively identified carrying weapons and preparing an ambush.

"We were able to engage their firing points at first with our own small-arms whilst our Fire Support Team called in fire from the Guided Multi-Launch Rocket System, which proved deadly.