Royal Marines assualt the heart of darkness in Afghanistan

Telegraph:

An armoured column of 250 Royal Marines smashed into Sangeen yesterday down the main road from the north, driving off Taliban fighters who had been attacking a small British "platoon house".

Such was the ferocity of the operation that the rebels were taken completely by surprise and, despite mounting a weak counter-attack, could not stop the Marines linking up with American troops from the 82nd Airborne Division from the south.

Embedded with Lima Company of 42 Commando under Major Gill Duncan, I can report that the operation was completed without a single British casualty. "The aim is to shock the Taliban to the point where they don't have a scoobie [clue] what is going on," 2nd Lieut Chris Sylven told the men of 7 Troop at a tense desert briefing. Senior officers claimed that it was the biggest Royal Marine raid since the Falklands conflict.

Col Matthew Holmes, commander of 42 Commando, described Sangeen as a Taliban "heart of darkness".

Intelligence had suggested that there were up to 350 Taliban in the area with advanced munitions, such as Soviet grenade launchers. There was also a warning of reinforcement by 120 fighters from the north. The Marines were told the plan required "a high level of aggression".

"This is one ballsy shout from the CO, to go up the highway and start smashing heads together," said Sgt Richard St Louis, warning his men that 16 suicide bombers might be in the town. "If someone comes towards you in a fire fight, he is dead."

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That last sentence could explain why the Taliban human bomb attacks have been so unsuccessful in Afghanistan.

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Twenty minutes after they arrived and in the first light of dawn, the Marines began a sweep to secure the area. They were backed up by Apache helicopters, and Harriers and US F15 and F18 bombers were visible, while artillery support was available from outside the town.

The Marines and accompanying assault engineers carried "mouse hole" charges to blast holes in thick mud walls and mines to collapse Taliban tunnel systems.

Marines with heat-seeking sights scanned roof tops for rebels moving to attack. A number of figures were spotted and several engaged.

The air was filled with the disorientating thump of explosive charges followed by sprays of machine gun fire as the Marines moved through the warren of buildings, blasting holes in walls and firing into the rooms beyond. With their webbing packed with equipment, some Marines had trouble fitting through holes in the walls and had to be shoved hard from behind.

"That's £68,000 of taxpayers' money well spent," shouted one officer as a British munition hit a suspected firing point with a thump that raised a plume of dust.

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The stories of combat are much more colorful when the report is embedded with the troops and can see the action first hand. Still, the NATO forces in Afghanistan face the same problem US forces used to have in Anbar. They can defeat any enemy, but they do not have a high enough force to space ratio to maintain control of an area once seized. The Royal Marines will turn this area over to Afghan forces and hope they can hold it this time.

Update: The AP is reporting that the enemy fled toward Musa Qala. It is reasonable to assume that area will be a target for a NATO offensive also.