bobdina
11-18-2009, 12:08 PM
Soldiers attacked near Helmand mosque
A Military Operations news article
18 Nov 09
Attacked by insurgent fighters while visiting a mosque in Helmand province, a British platoon chose not to engage the attackers in case the local villagers got harmed.
British soldiers take cover
British soldiers take cover as they come under enemy fire during a patrol in southern Afghanistan (stock image)
[Picture: Sergeant Anthony Boocock, Crown Copyright/MOD 2008]
Soldiers of 6 Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS), were on patrol as part of the 3rd Battalion The Rifles (3 RIFLES) Battle Group in the Wishtan area of Sangin.
Having only arrived in Helmand a couple of weeks previously, the platoon knew very little about this area, and were therefore building relationships with the local community.
At around lunchtime, the platoon was near the mosque. There were a number of people of all ages, both in the grounds of the mosque and passing on the road outside, including a small boy on crutches.
While the platoon was moving into the grounds of the mosque, the young mullah and his own young son came over to greet them which was when one insurgent fighter fired his gun and another threw grenades at a wall behind which some of the platoon were located.
Private Andrew Curran said:
"I was up on top of a small roof, around prayer time, when the mullah came out. He was more than happy for us to be there, he wanted us to come in. He was talking for a while, then I saw someone out of my peripheral vision.
"I didn't throw my grenade ... it was prayer time and I didn't want to end up lobbing it and killing the mullah."
Private Andrew Curran
"I didn't realise he was a threat until he cranked off the first shot, then I shouted 'Get down!' and we took cover.
"The first thing running through my head was that he was only a boy. Rounds were embedding in the low wall in front of our heads, then the second shooter's ammo was piercing the clay wall in front of us.
"The little boy on crutches who had been asking for sweets had been paid to count how many of us there were."
The platoon did not engage the fighters as they fled on motorbikes, having sprinted from the grounds of the mosque to the concealed vehicles.
Private Curran continued:
"I didn't throw my grenade. I had it out and was about to pull the pin, but I didn't because it was prayer time and I didn't want to end up lobbing it and killing the mullah."
Private Andrew Curran
Private Andrew Curran
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
"The mullah appeared appalled by the attack. He shouted at the insurgents to stop, but the attack was so brief that his words had no time to register before the insurgents disappeared at speed.
"Nonetheless, as soon as the attack was finished, he was the first to shout over to the platoon and ask if they were all okay. Another man in a compound adjacent asked a similar question, with the platoon inquiring the same about them and their families.
"In the end, there were no casualties, either in or near the mosque, or from 6 Platoon."
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said:
"The bravery of these soldiers in exercising such restraint is remarkable.
"This was a moment when all the training came together, not just the skill-at-arms training but the conceptual training, that ability to know in a split-second that it is more important, despite the risks to yourself and your mates, to hold your fire and not risk harming civilians.
"Winning the people, protecting them, and winning their support, is what it's all about in counter-insurgency."
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SoldiersAttackedNearHelmandMosque.htm
A Military Operations news article
18 Nov 09
Attacked by insurgent fighters while visiting a mosque in Helmand province, a British platoon chose not to engage the attackers in case the local villagers got harmed.
British soldiers take cover
British soldiers take cover as they come under enemy fire during a patrol in southern Afghanistan (stock image)
[Picture: Sergeant Anthony Boocock, Crown Copyright/MOD 2008]
Soldiers of 6 Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS), were on patrol as part of the 3rd Battalion The Rifles (3 RIFLES) Battle Group in the Wishtan area of Sangin.
Having only arrived in Helmand a couple of weeks previously, the platoon knew very little about this area, and were therefore building relationships with the local community.
At around lunchtime, the platoon was near the mosque. There were a number of people of all ages, both in the grounds of the mosque and passing on the road outside, including a small boy on crutches.
While the platoon was moving into the grounds of the mosque, the young mullah and his own young son came over to greet them which was when one insurgent fighter fired his gun and another threw grenades at a wall behind which some of the platoon were located.
Private Andrew Curran said:
"I was up on top of a small roof, around prayer time, when the mullah came out. He was more than happy for us to be there, he wanted us to come in. He was talking for a while, then I saw someone out of my peripheral vision.
"I didn't throw my grenade ... it was prayer time and I didn't want to end up lobbing it and killing the mullah."
Private Andrew Curran
"I didn't realise he was a threat until he cranked off the first shot, then I shouted 'Get down!' and we took cover.
"The first thing running through my head was that he was only a boy. Rounds were embedding in the low wall in front of our heads, then the second shooter's ammo was piercing the clay wall in front of us.
"The little boy on crutches who had been asking for sweets had been paid to count how many of us there were."
The platoon did not engage the fighters as they fled on motorbikes, having sprinted from the grounds of the mosque to the concealed vehicles.
Private Curran continued:
"I didn't throw my grenade. I had it out and was about to pull the pin, but I didn't because it was prayer time and I didn't want to end up lobbing it and killing the mullah."
Private Andrew Curran
Private Andrew Curran
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
"The mullah appeared appalled by the attack. He shouted at the insurgents to stop, but the attack was so brief that his words had no time to register before the insurgents disappeared at speed.
"Nonetheless, as soon as the attack was finished, he was the first to shout over to the platoon and ask if they were all okay. Another man in a compound adjacent asked a similar question, with the platoon inquiring the same about them and their families.
"In the end, there were no casualties, either in or near the mosque, or from 6 Platoon."
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said:
"The bravery of these soldiers in exercising such restraint is remarkable.
"This was a moment when all the training came together, not just the skill-at-arms training but the conceptual training, that ability to know in a split-second that it is more important, despite the risks to yourself and your mates, to hold your fire and not risk harming civilians.
"Winning the people, protecting them, and winning their support, is what it's all about in counter-insurgency."
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SoldiersAttackedNearHelmandMosque.htm