Posted on 03/14/2002 6:16:37 PM PST by Black Powder
OTTAWA -- A team of six Canadian snipers shot dead heavily armed Taliban or al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan over the past week -- the first confirmed enemy killings in combat by Canadian troops since the Korean War.
Speaking about the fighting as part of Operation Anaconda, Vice-Admiral Greg Maddison said the snipers "suppressed enemy mortar and heavy machine-gun positions with deadly accuracy."
That information emerged yesterday as 600 Canadian and U.S. soldiers launched a new combat mission, called Operation Harpoon, in eastern Afghanistan. Under Canadian command, the soldiers were flown in by helicopter from the Bagram air base, up to a mountainous area where they will chase down Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.
The coalition troops encountered no resistance as they set up their positions early in the day, getting ready for a mission that will last two to seven days.
Canadian officials estimate that there are fewer than 100 enemy fighters hiding in caves and mountains in the area that they call the Whale Back.
It was during the Operation Anaconda phase that Canadian snipers felled enemy fighters while defending U.S. troops that were under fire.
"As the American battalion was moving down the ridge and dealing with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters that they were encountering, the snipers were there to provide defensive capability," Adm. Maddison said.
He would not say how many enemy fighters the snipers killed or provide any other details of the incident.
There have been no Canadian casualties in the operations so far.
While Canadians soldiers have killed people during peacekeeping missions, the last time the country's military used lethal force in combat was in 1953.
Operation Harpoon is commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran of the Canadian Forces. He is leading 500 soldiers from the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and about 100 U.S. troops from the 10th Mountain Division.
The mission is called a "mopping up" -- finding and eliminating pockets of resistance after a major operation. Hundreds of Taliban and al-Qaeda members were killed as part of the U.S.-led Operation Anaconda, which is winding down.
Some fighters survived, and have fled northwest to the Whale Back.
Commodore Jean-Pierre Thiffault, the top Canadian officer at Central Command in Tampa, Fla., said that Operation Harpoon is "a combat operation to clear out the remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban pockets in caves and other sites in the mountainous areas south of Gardez, near the Whale Back."
Adm. Maddison said this will be a risky endeavour in a dangerous area: mountainous and rough terrain that is filled with caves and holes where the enemy might be hiding.
"It is not a benign environment. Whilst our folks are well-trained and they're well led, and they're prepared for this sort of mission, the risks are high," he said.
Operation Harpoon started with intense bombing of the Whale Back area by U.S. bombers, followed by the "insertion" of Canadian troops under the protection of gunship helicopters.
"There was a heavy amount of air cover that was used to soften the terrain, if you will," Adm. Maddison said.
Operation Harpoon is much smaller than Operation Anaconda, although both are happening in the same general area.
Operation Anaconda focused on an area called Shahi Kot, in which hundreds of Taliban or al-Qaeda fighters had congregated.
Two teams of Canadian snipers, or sharpshooters, are with the coalition fighting in Afghanistan, both from the Princess Patricia's regiment.
Snipers are part of a battalion's reconnaissance platoon. Their job is to figure out how to get as close to the enemy as possible. They are experts in camouflage and concealment, and can pick off human prey with rifles from as far away as 900 metres, or the length of nine football fields.
Canada's snipers -- there are only a few dozen -- learn their trade at the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick. In addition to six snipers, the Canadian contribution to Operation Anaconda included an indefinite number of commando troops from the Joint Task Force 2 and 10 others members of the Princess Patricia's regiment.
The JTF2 members are back at their home base now. It is Canadian policy to release almost no information on their activities. Adm. Maddison said the JTF2 engaged in combat, but didn't say if they killed anyone.
Canada has contributed 2,400 troops so far to the war on terrorism.
It has almost 900 soldiers in Afghanistan, while the others are working on ships and planes in the area.
Canadian Alliance MP Leon Benoit -- a frequent critic of Canada's defence policy -- praised the work of troops in Afghanistan.
"I'm proud of the snipers and the important role they provided in giving cover to the other soldiers moving in, and I'm proud of the mission led by Canadians."
I must admit to being a bit jealous, and,
I wonder how our snipers did.
Right , that's why the 82nd is in Ft. Bragg and the Canadians are killing in Afghanistan. They also might be dying for you. And for guys like you who have your attitude, that would be a shame.
When I went through we used Redfield 3x9 scopes, so you know how long ago that was. I'm getting old.
Caliber .30 Match, M72, bullet 173 grain (FMJ), velocity 2640 FPS.
7.62MM NATO Special Ball, M118, bullet 173 grain (FMJ), velocity not shown.
7.62MM Match, M852, bullet 168 grain (BTHP), velocity 2550 FPS.
I believe US snipers used the M118 special ball with the FMJ bullet until the DoD decided that the 168 grain BTHP did not meet the Hague definition of a hollow point so they switched to M852. I heard Lake City no longer makes match ammo so they have switched to Federal commercial (good stuff -- wish I could afford it).
Hold em' and squeeze em' and may all your nines be tens.
J.R.
Ah, rapture...
Too bad we only have a 200 yard range.
In Memory of Gunnery Sargeant Carlos N. Hathcock II, USMC. Semper Fi for one of the finest ever.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LoanPalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Don't know where you are located, but here in the peoples republic of Illinois, there is one 600 yard range, and one 1000 yard range. If there are any military installations near you check out their range policy re police and civilians. I used to go to Camp Atterbury in Indiana for matches. It has four 50 firing point ranges out to 500 yards, and one that goes to 600 and 1000 yards.
Regards
J.R.
I've always wanted an '03, I hear they shoot nice.
You interested in once fired Federal brass?
We enjoy shooting the 03's. If they have a good bore, they shoot well. I prefer the 03-A3 WW2 version because the rear sight is closer to the eye.
Yes, I am interested in once fired brass. Send me a private e-mail if you want.
Regards
J.R.
Actually calculates out to slightly over 3800 fps. Pretty high.
I started to shoot the M1A and it wasn't bad but I found out that it takes a lot of maintenance, the mags are way too expensive and would always get stuck in the well.
A friend wanted to get into high power with an AR and I was given a good price because he was a dealer. The first time out I shot a Master score but after, that the scores kept on getting lower and lower. I think my worst was a 455. I went to the Texas State Match and after losing a hundred points[really!] off my average, the range officer told me that the reason I couldn't adjust to the 300 and 600 stages was because the rear sight had 1/3 clicks on the early Eagles. I sent the rear sight back to Armalite and they sent me the correct National Match sight base. 1/2 elevation and 1/4 windage. The next thing that my son mentioned was whether the front sight was correct. I found out that the front sight was reversed. I had the taper facing the wrong way and it was creating a shadow. It was also loose. I locked the sight using a 8/36 set screw on the bottom and I'm knocking on the door of the Master scores again. I know I can shoot, I just didn't know enough to blame the rifle.
Is that Canadian football fields or American football fields? Because an American football field is 100 yards, not 100 metres or meters. Well, 120 with the end zones.
He's from their Swamp-Thing Brigade. It saves money, since they don't need to make ghillie suits.
For your records: 2550 FPS plus minus 30FPS at 78 feet.
I'm a die hard devotee of competition. If anyone wishes to get better at anything, I believe that competition is the only way. It pushes your limits, it provides the knowledge needed and teaches techniques a person wouldn't try on their own. I asked one time if there were any Masters on this site and so far, only one person has replied.
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