Posted on 06/12/2008 2:29:16 PM PDT by Mercia
The Parachute Regiment has suffered its biggest loss in a week since the Falklands War after two soldiers were killed during an ambush in Afghanistan.
The number of paratroopers killed in action in the last four days now stands at five dead after a suicide bomber killed three on Sunday.
In an operation to flush out the Taliban and reassure the local population around the town of Sangin the Paras were ambushed by the insurgents from close range. A third soldier was seriously wounded.
Although senior commanders have said the Taliban leadership had been "decapitated" and supply routes "disrupted" it is feared that the attacks could herald the beginning of a new campaign.
"It might be a Taliban summer offensive like 2006 and 2007 but it could also be a very unlucky week," said one soldier.
A Whitehall source said it had been "a terrible week" but added that "apart from the personal tragedy it just clouds all the good things we are doing in Helmand".
A platoon of paratroopers was patrolling from their base at Fort Gibraltar south of Sangin when they were ambushed by Taliban using machine guns, AK47s and possibly rocket-propelled grenades.
The soldiers were patrolling in the notorious "green zone" which is an ideal ambush site with green orchards, deep irrigation ditches and thick mudbrick walls.
Two of the Paras were fatality wounded by the gunfire but a number of Taliban are thought to have also died in the attack. The wounded soldier is being treated at Camp Bastion field hospital where he is expected to fully recover.
The 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment moved into Sangin in the last fortnight in order to reinforce the security that has grown in the area over the last year.
But it appears that the Taliban have adjusted their tactics to carry out successful attacks on the troops.
The two dead soldiers were from C Company of the 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment based in Colchester, Essex. The three dead from Sunday were from B Company based at Fort Inkerman, north of Sangin.
Last weekend’s fatalities brought the total number of British deaths to the grim milestone of 100 and the latest deaths now makes it 102.
At sunset the men of A Company, 3 Para, once again bowed their heads in tribute as a lone 120mm mortar from a nearby American base fired a round in remembrance of the dead.
For two minutes the men faced the setting sun in the West standing in silence by their weapons contemplating the passing away of comrades whose names they did not yet know.
From the rooftop of the dusty mudbrick compound the national flag of Afghanistan fluttered above the flag of the Parachute Regiment.
The loud crash of a second shell echoing deep into the mountains overlooking the base signalled the end of the remembrance before the troops, based in a hilltop compound in Mizan, Zabul province, picked up their weapons in preparation for further operations against the Taliban.
The news of the latest deaths was greeted with anger and disappointment.
Company Sergeant Major Stephen Tidmarsh described the deaths as "devastating news".
"For the Regiment this is a bad day but this is The Parachute Regiment and we are alive to the dangers of the environment in which we operate," he said.
"Unfortunately this is something we have to live with but his won’t deter us from our main effort in Afghanistan because bringing security to local population is what we are here for and the blokes won’t be deterred by the insurgent.
"When we get down time we will pull from the back of our minds their memories, but now they are focused on operations."
All next of kin have been informed. The number of paratroopers killed in action in the last four days now stands at five dead after a suicide bomber killed three on Sunday.
In an operation to flush out the Taliban and reassure the local population around the town of Sangin the Paras were ambushed by the insurgents from close range. A third soldier was seriously wounded. Article continues advertisement
Although senior commanders have said the Taliban leadership had been "decapitated" and supply routes "disrupted" it is feared that the attacks could herald the beginning of a new campaign.
"It might be a Taliban summer offensive like 2006 and 2007 but it could also be a very unlucky week," said one soldier.
A Whitehall source said it had been "a terrible week" but added that "apart from the personal tragedy it just clouds all the good things we are doing in Helmand".
A platoon of paratroopers was patrolling from their base at Fort Gibraltar south of Sangin when they were ambushed by Taliban using machine guns, AK47s and possibly rocket-propelled grenades.
The soldiers were patrolling in the notorious "green zone" which is an ideal ambush site with green orchards, deep irrigation ditches and thick mudbrick walls.
Two of the Paras were fatality wounded by the gunfire but a number of Taliban are thought to have also died in the attack. The wounded soldier is being treated at Camp Bastion field hospital where he is expected to fully recover.
The 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment moved into Sangin in the last fortnight in order to reinforce the security that has grown in the area over the last year.
But it appears that the Taliban have adjusted their tactics to carry out successful attacks on the troops.
The two dead soldiers were from C Company of the 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment based in Colchester, Essex. The three dead from Sunday were from B Company based at Fort Inkerman, north of Sangin.
Last weekend’s fatalities brought the total number of British deaths to the grim milestone of 100 and the latest deaths now makes it 102.
At sunset the men of A Company, 3 Para, once again bowed their heads in tribute as a lone 120mm mortar from a nearby American base fired a round in remembrance of the dead.
For two minutes the men faced the setting sun in the West standing in silence by their weapons contemplating the passing away of comrades whose names they did not yet know.
From the rooftop of the dusty mudbrick compound the national flag of Afghanistan fluttered above the flag of the Parachute Regiment.
The loud crash of a second shell echoing deep into the mountains overlooking the base signalled the end of the remembrance before the troops, based in a hilltop compound in Mizan, Zabul province, picked up their weapons in preparation for further operations against the Taliban.
The news of the latest deaths was greeted with anger and disappointment.
Company Sergeant Major Stephen Tidmarsh described the deaths as "devastating news".
"For the Regiment this is a bad day but this is The Parachute Regiment and we are alive to the dangers of the environment in which we operate," he said.
"Unfortunately this is something we have to live with but his won’t deter us from our main effort in Afghanistan because bringing security to local population is what we are here for and the blokes won’t be deterred by the insurgent.
"When we get down time we will pull from the back of our minds their memories, but now they are focused on operations."
All next of kin have been informed.
If they catch the terrorist who killed them, they better not take them prisoners. SCOTUS will insist they have all the rights of the men they killed.
Judging by the report it seems that not all of the Taliban lived to tell the tale. One can only hope that the Para’s exacted their own brand of vengeance.
Thinking back to WW I+II, when "its biggest loss in a week" was measued in the tens of thousands.
If I was in a fix, I would want them behind by back, in front of it too for that matter.
I wonder where are the Gurkha Units are? We don’t hear much about them.
That would be the entire regiment wiped out several times over....
I recall me mentioned to me, that someone would ask to see their swords. They would show it, but would also draw blood with it (their own blood according to my dad.)
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