Posted on 06/26/2005 5:24:45 PM PDT by HAL9000
Skimming low over the desert in helicopters with guns at the ready, American troops advanced into the Khakeran Valley in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, three months after Taliban rebels attacked police and forced them to flee.The move is the latest part of a strategy to reassert U.S.-led coalition and Afghan control over an insurgent stronghold, after a spate of attacks raised fears of an Iraq-style insurgency here. Blistering U.S. assaults against nearby mountainous rebel camps last week left 178 suspected militants dead.
Up to 300 insurgents are suspected to be in the Khakeran Valley, about 220 kilometers (130 miles) northeast of the main southern city of Kandahar, said Lt. Luke Langer, a platoon leader in the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.
"The enemy has been using the Khakeran Valley as a sanctuary," he said. "Without question, I know the Taliban are in the area and I'm sure we will make contact. From talking to local people, we know the enemy are very angry with us being here."
Flying in a convoy of two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, a Blackhawk and two Apache attack choppers, about 50 American troops hopped up the river valley from village to village in search of the rebels.
At the first hamlet, the soldiers rushed from the aircraft as a handful of mangy chickens scampered away in clouds of billowing dust. A few farmers stood around and watched with nervous, but curious, looks on their faces as the troops searched the few mud huts and fields of wheat and tomatoes that made up their community. Nothing suspicious was found.
A report then came through on the radio that a group of suspected rebels had been spotted milling around in the next village. The troops ran back to the helicopters and flew toward it, below the brows of the barren, sun-scorched hills that border the valley.
They landed out of sight of the village, and a small scouting party sneaked off to get a closer view. The other troops waited, ready to attack if the presence of insurgents was confirmed. But then word came back: the group of people weren't rebels, but guests at a local wedding.
Back on the helicopters the troops went, and they flew to Mangal Khan, the main village in the valley, which used to house a local police contingent before the Taliban attacked in March and the officers fled.
They landed on the outskirts of the village and walked in, searching houses as they went. Two men were led out of one of the homes with their hands tied. The troops declined to say why they were suspects.
The soldiers walked into the remains of the local police station, its windows smashed, its walls partly burned and pocked with bullet holes. A meeting was then called with the village elders, and sitting in the yard in the shade of a tree, next to a rusting anti-aircraft gun, the American commander announced that they weren't leaving.
"We are here to stay. We are going to rebuild this police station," Capt. Michael Kloepper told the villagers.
Then, speaking to The Associated Press, he outlined his approach to his job in Afghanistan.
"I came here to help the people, but I also came here to kill the Taliban," he said. "I like fighting the Taliban."
About 465 suspected insurgents have been reported killed since the start of a major upsurge in fighting in March when snows melted on mountain tracks used by the rebels. In the same period, 29 U.S. troops, 38 Afghan police and soldiers and 125 civilians have been killed.
The biggest loss for the insurgents was in the three-day barrage by American aircraft against rebel camps in the Miana Shien district of Kandahar province last week. While about 80 militants, including two top Taliban commanders, are still thought to be in the area, dozens of others are believed to have fled - some possibly toward Khakeran Valley.
American spokesman Lt. Col. Jerry O'Hara said troops were operating across the whole region, "taking away enemy sanctuaries."
"The enemy forces are not dumb. So when they get a sense that we're doing an operation in area 'X,' they will move onto area 'Y,'" he said. "It is our goal to be in area 'Y' before they set anything up."
Mabeee they can stumble on Beeen Ladin??
"I like fighting the Taleban" almost as good as the Marine to the BBC reporter, "We're Marines sir, we kill people and blow things up".
God I love it!
But PLEASE... don't tell Dickie Turbenladin.
Before trashing Pakistan too much, consider what it would be like if it were run by Bin Laden!
"I like fighting the Taleban" almost as good as the Marine to the BBC reporter, "We're Marines sir, we kill people and blow things up."
Sort of makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. He heh. And that they both do quite well given the targets to work on.
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