42-cdo-Red-Dagger

Taking on the Taliban and Insurgents

The previous page was: "42 Commando Kandahar"

42-cdo-Red-Dagger; The Royal Marines Commandos continue to strike at the heart of the Taliban, and redraw the boundaries of the International Security Assistance Force.

Swiftly striking at the areas the Taliban regard as their safe lands, the green berets suddenly appear on the scene at the time and place of their choosing.

The Commandos remain one step ahead of their enemy at all times, they rapidly gain control of an area that the Taliban sought to hang on to.

42 Commando Kandahar

Operation Red Dagger

Two weeks before Christmas on 10th December 2008, an operation to rid an area the size of Glasgow of Taliban was chosen. More than 1,500 troops were used throughout the operation, led by Royal Marine Commandos of the 3rd Commando Brigade.

The Commandos were supported by Danes, Estonians and Afghan troops, bolstered by Danish Leopard tanks. The offensive operation was code named 'Sond Chara' (in Pashtu) Red Dagger, the Brigade's legendary insignia.

A surprise helicopter assault by 42 Commando Royal Marines landed in the centre of a suspect Taliban base, catching the enemy completely open mouthed.

The green berets discovered a massive weapons cache and a large drugs factory. The haul included a number of home made bombs, and around 40 kgs of wet opium, valued at more than £2m.

Supported by Danish Tanks

To the north-west the Danish Leopard tanks engaged the Taliban, who fired rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and 107mm rockets, none of which was a match for the Danish tanks 120mm main armoury. Allied mortars and missiles joined them. The Taliban were dealt another bitter defeat.

Two forward bases were built by the sappers of 59 Commando Royal Engineers, the Marines dedicated engineer unit. The Taliban showed their objection by keeping the positions they had held for over seven years under constant fire.

The 11,000 local residents could now carry on with their lives, reconstructing and developing how they liked. They raised green flags of celebration all over the town.

On another front, the insurgents faced the whole battle group, which proved to be the fiercest action of the operation. The fundamentalists put up a resolute resistance to the Allied attack.

But the pounding by Allied air power from Cobra and Apache gunships, along with the Commandos 105mm Howitzers proved to be too much. The Taliban lines crumbled, they were last seen fleeing north towards the mountains.

Helicopters ferried 42-cdo-Red-Dagger

Helicopters ferried 42-cdo-Red-Dagger's troops to the village of Chah-E-Anjar, a long time safe haven of the Taliban. By the nightfall of Christmas Day The insurgents had been routed, their key control was in Allied hands, along with a considerable haul of bounty.

The Allied forces led by the Commandos had achieved what it set out to do; to dislodge the fundamentalists from a large swathe of land. Many insurgents had been killed or they have left the area.

Peace is returning to the heart of the district. Local people were pleased to be free of the oppressive influence of the insurgents.

Royal Canadian Regiment

Two weeks later 42 Commando RM, thrust another dagger into the Taliban's heart, this time near Kandahar. It was a three day Anglo-Canadian blitz on insurgents compounds, which border one of the main routes through the Kandahar Province.

It began with a night helicopter assault by 'K' Company 42 Commando Royal Marines the aerial attack was supported on the ground by the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment. Between them the Commandos and the Canadians searched more than 50 buildings, compounds and farms.

They Collected a massive haul of weapons, they also destroyed a bomb making factory. They found more than 100 detonators, about 40 pressure plates, triggers for mines and booby traps were also seized, plus six large tubs packed full of explosives.

There were heaps of rifles and grenades, including rocket-propelled grenades, ball bearings and a large amount of drugs including at least 20kg of wet opium.

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Without the support of their Allies

42 Commando Royal Marines had dealt another serious blow to the insurgents. The Commandos now have a reputation for having ferret like noses for searching out weapons and drugs caches.

Without the exceptionally large pillar of support from their Allies or the Royal Marine Combat Logistic Patrols, and all of the other engineers and suppliers, and because there is no determined front line, and because the Taliban are everywhere, it is unlikely the Commandos would have achieved so much success on their own.

The next Link Below will be: "42 Commando Afghanistan"

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