Posted on 12/08/2006 7:13:32 PM PST by blam
'Armoured fist' smashes into Basra at dawn, capturing five terrorist leaders
By Thomas Harding
Last Updated: 1:39am GMT 09/12/2006
British Troops came under heavy fire as they entered one of the toughest areas of the city
British troops carried out a dramatic three-pronged attack on insurgents in Basra yesterday in the biggest strike operation since the invasion of Iraq.
Five alleged top-level terrorists were arrested, and a number of bombs — just 48 hours away from being planted — were found in the dawn swoop.
In a set-piece assault, more than 1,000 soldiers in tanks, armoured vehicles and boats carried out simultaneous raids into one of the toughest areas of Basra at 3am.
"We are not suggesting that this is the silver bullet that will kill off the insurgency but it is very much a step along the way," a senior military source said.
The new tactic could mark a turning point in targeting militias in Basra with commanders stepping up action against rebel leaders before next spring, when British commanders hope to halve the current strength in Iraq to 3,500.
The raid comes against a background of increased violence against British forces, who have suffered 125 dead in Iraq, as they attempt to establish a degree of stability in Basra city and province, where most of the troops are based.
The assault into the densely populated Al Harthah district was launched when an "armoured fist" of 28 Warrior armoured vehicles carrying nearly 300 troops of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment and 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks stormed across the Qamart Ali bridge.
As soon as the Iraqis heard the armour approaching they opened fire from the narrow alleyways and two-storey mud brick houses that honeycomb the area, which is bordered on two sides by wide rivers.
A barrage of rocketpropelled grenades, hand grenades and small-arms fire rained down on the tank column as it stormed across the bridge.
advertisementAmerican F15 fighter jets were called in by RAF co-ordinators to conduct a low and fast flypast of the Iraqi position as a show of strength.
Troops then returned fire with the tanks of Egypt Squadron, 2 Royal Tank Regiment using their chain guns, and the soldiers using machineguns and SA80 assault rifles to put down fire.
"All the way over the bridge we took incoming rounds but we punched our way through and got to the other side without casualties," said an officer.
"When we went in there we knew they would be well protected but we did have the element of surprise so they could not bring anything heavier to fire at us."
As the tanks provided heavy covering fire, the Warriors crossed the bridge with half of them sweeping right and the other to the left.
Confronted by the narrow alleyways and darkness, the troops, equipped with night-vision goggles, leapt out of the back of the Warriors to accompany specialist search teams from the Royal Engineers.
The troops entered two homes where they found AK47s, 12.7mm heavy machineguns, which can penetrate light armour, and a number of artillery shells strung together with detonator cable that are used to make deadly roadside bombs. They also found 66mm rockets and RPGs.
The two arrested gang leaders were handcuffed, placed in the back of the Warriors and driven back for questioning at the main British base in Basra Air Station, eight miles outside the city.
As the tanks fought their way across the bridge a flotilla of high-speed landing craft carrying a company of infantry conducted a daring amphibious raid on another corner of the district known for its tribal fighting and criminality.
More than 100 soldiers from the Staffordshire Regiment were taken up the Shatt al Arab river in eight rigid raiders and two offshore raiding craft.
As the high-speed boats hit land the troops, while under sporadic fire, waded ashore. They rapidly made their way to houses where another two insurgents were detained. Inside the homes the troops discovered arms and a number of "useful" documents.
The suspects were handcuffed and taken by boat back to the base at the Shatt al Arab hotel, close to the spot where terrorists murdered four troops last month.
As the raids from the south- west and south-east took place, a large force of Scottish troops accompanied by Danes attacked from the north.
The company of 110 men from the Black Watch in 20 armoured snatch Land Rovers with 250 men from the Danish battalion in lightly armoured vehicles drove at speed into al Harthah.
Without a shot being fired they grabbed the fifth and final insurgent to be arrested.
Brig Tim Evans, the overall commander of the raid, deliberately deployed four times the number of troops usually used for a strike operation to ensure that none of the suspects got away.
"If you strike at just one person another four or five will disappear for months, so we decided to go in all at one go," said Major Charlie Burbridge, the British military spokesman.
Please if I could ask..no more capturing.
Carry on. Great job!
Bravo!
---Five alleged top-level terrorists were arrested---
Get what information you can, execute them and repeat.
You can only push those Brit Officers so far, then they smash you in the face. They have a long history of smashing Wogs in the face, only to have their gains frittered away by their politicians. They do tend to be more methodical about plans and buildup of forces than American officers, but they still get the job done.
I really hope those were F-15Es and did something more than "Show strength". Like drop a few thousand pounds of iron and high explosive on the Jihadies.
Don'cha love it!
Hmmmm, Maliki meets with Bush......Hakim meets with Bush.......raids break out all over Iraq and terrorists are being rounded up in record number. Do you suppose
Nah
outstanding, wish the us media would report our use of force, in such a way.
Five alleged top-level terrorists were arrested
"alleged" lol
Allahu fubar!
Jolly good job, chaps...especially getting them "all at one go".
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