Inside Operation Cobra's Anger

Independent:

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The Independent accompanied a force of around 1,500 – two-thirds US marines, the rest British, Danish and Afghan – as it launched Operation Khareh Cobra, "Cobra's Rage" in Pashto. Their target was Nawzad, once the second largest town in the province, which passed into Taliban hands two years ago. Since then, the town had become an important arms and opium storing centre for the insurgency, as well as a "blooding ground" where young jihadists cut their teeth. One strip of land, known as "Pakistani Alley", has been a transit point for foreign fighters, mainly, as the name suggests, Pakistanis, to other parts of Helmand.

The doctrine presented by General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander of Nato forces in the country, calls for places like Nawzad to be recaptured and protected. British forces had been involved in fierce combat with the Taliban here. But there were never enough troops to hold the ground. The massive American influx into southern Afghanistan, with 9,000 more marines due to join 11,000 already here, is designed to change that.

The sheer size of the operation for Nawzad made it impossible to disguise the build up of forces. Interception of Taliban radio traffic showed commanders speculating about whether the attack would be towards the south or the east; in the end, it came from all sides, with an air assault preceding an armoured thrust. British troops formed a screen to prevent militant fighters escaping towards Musa Qala.

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Some US servicemen said they felt a sense of being involved in a moment in history because of the timing of the mission so soon after the presidential decision. There was also a sense that this was payback time. Their comrades had been killed by booby traps in the district centre, and the use of roadside bombs and mines made the Taliban, in the eyes of the American forces, an enemy as cowardly as it is ruthless. Chaplain Michael Taylor told the young marines as they prepared for combat: "You are the instrument of the Lord's wrath and indignation. Be strong in administering justice. As you face death, whether you deal it out or receive it, it is better to be true to yourself than be a coward who hides at home refusing to protect the innocent." Then there was a warning to remain true to the mission's ideals. "Be pure in your justice,' the chaplain said. "Examine if we have become the men we hate."

Two hours later, there was more firing in our direction from surrounding hills as we scrambled down from the trucks at a rendezvous point. Further along came the deep booms of "Mic-Lics", line charges cutting channels through ground pitted with roadside bombs and mines.

The next hours were spent with Lima Company of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, as they smashed through walled compounds in an area called the Water Margin. Watching a door blown away, Lieutenant Dan Frank said: "It's not a pretty sight, but it's the way to get the job done. My men are the best guys you would want beside you in a fight, but I am not sure I would want many of them to date my sister."

What were the chances of reconciling Taliban fighters, part of Nato's new strategy, a young marine was asked. "If he genuinely wants to come over that's fine," he said. "But if he keeps fighting, well we've just got to take care of him, kill him."

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There is more.

The story gives a good account of the scope of the mission with some individual stories of events as the troops closed their trap around the Taliban fighters seeking to flee. It appears to be a well conceived and executed operation that achieved tactical surprise. All the casualties were on the Taliban side of the ledger, with no friendlies killed.