Morning raid in Afghanistan

Soldiers Magazine, June, 2005 by Mark Turney

A RECENT early-morning search conducted jointly in Afghanistan's Qarabaugh District by Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, and the Afghan National Army, netted thousands of rounds of ammunition and anti-tank mines. Many weapons were also uncovered.

It was the first time the American infantrymen had conducted a joint operation with the newly replaced ANA troops.

"We had some problems early on in the operation," said CPT Patrick Combs, Task Force Normandy's battle captain. "Because of the urgency of this operation, we didn't get to train or rehearse with this group, but, all in all, the operation was a success, and the participation of ANA soldiers was invaluable."

The combined units rolled down Route 1, Ring Road, and headed towards their turn-off, just past the town of Saydabad, where roadsides where piled high with snow. Eleven vehicles, with every seat occupied and every turret manned, approached the compound of the suspected arms dealer.

Sunrise was still hours away.

As the vehicles began turning onto the dirt road, which would bring them to the suspects' compound, three vehicles got stuck in axle-deep mud. It took the combined units nearly an hour to extricate all the vehicles before their journey could continue.

Everyone was in a heightened state of alert--fearing that the element of surprise may have been lost, said 1LT Heath Phillips, on-site commander of the operation and senior officer of the antitank platoon. "When we rolled up on the compound and no one met us, we all breathed a sigh of relief."

Immediately, the units began dispersing. The Soldiers knew well what their roles would be, having performed similar operations in the past. The ANA also began to disperse and took direction from the U.S. Soldiers interspersed with them.

Fanning out to cover all the exits from the compound, Soldiers from the 116th Inf. quickly surrounded the compound.

Surprisingly, the owner of the house exited the compound even as it was being surrounded. He waited patiently at the gate to his home, was quickly searched and told to allow the Soldiers to search his property.

"How many people are in there?" asked Phillips, through an interpreter. "Wake them up and get them into the courtyard, now."

The man led Soldiers to one of the main entrances and, with the owner leading the way, they began clearing each room in the large compound.

As the owner implored the inhabitants of the building to come out of their rooms, the doors began to open and people began filling the compound's courtyard. At first only the male residents came out. No women or children were visible. They had been hiding out in one of the out buildings. The Soldiers escorted them, under female guard, to the courtyard.

As is the custom of the Afghan Muslims, the women and children were separated from the men. Female Soldiers from the 25th Military Police Company guarded the women, while the Soldiers kept watch over the men in another wing of the compound.

Infantrymen knocked on and opened doors, while Soldiers from the 229th Engineer Bn., a Virginia Army National Guard unit assigned to Task Force Normandy, checked each entrance and room for signs of booby traps. None were found, so the Soldiers quickly entered the rooms of the main building of the compound.

"We've got weapons and other material here," one Soldier shouted. The shouted phrase was repeated many times throughout the morning, as more and more caches were found.

The complete search of the compound took nearly four hours, during which thousands of rounds of ammunition, anti-tank mines, rockets and mortar rounds were found. The Soldiers also confiscated loaded weapons, including several heavy machine guns.

"This operation showed how we are continuing to work with the ANA and the Afghan National Police to maintain security throughout the region," said MAJ Andrew Pavord, acting battalion commander, 3rd Bn., 116th Inf. "We helped remove some very dangerous weapons from the area, making it more difficult for the insurgents to acquire and use them against us."

SSG Mark Turney is assigned to the 3rd Bn., 116th Inf. Regt.