SAS Killed After Taliban Bosses Snatched

[big bad john]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/HistoryAndHonour/TwoBritishSoldiersKilledInAfghanistan.htm

Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
27 Jun 06
It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of two British soldiers in Afghanistan.

During a planned operation in the Sangin valley, northern Helmand province, in the early morning of 27 June (at around midnight Afghan time) a UK patrol came under attack. One further soldier was seriously wounded. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

On hearing the news, the Defence Secretary Des Browne said:

"It is with great sadness that I must confirm the deaths of two of our brave soldiers in Afghanistan. My deepest sympathies are with their families and loved ones."

No further details will be released until the process of informing the next of kin has been completed.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5119934.stm

Two UK troops die in Afghanistan 

UK troops took over from US forces in Helmand earlier this year
Two British soldiers have been killed in fighting with Taleban forces in Afghanistan, officials have confirmed.
The troops were on night patrol in Sangin, in the volatile southern province of Helmand, when they were attacked by Taleban militia.

A rocket-propelled grenade destroyed a vehicle. Two soldiers died in the fighting and one was seriously hurt.

The UK's Ministry of Defence said: "We believe the soldier's injuries are not life-threatening at present."

Meanwhile, in Kunduz province in the north of Afghanistan at least two civilians were killed when a suspected suicide car bomber rammed a German convoy, police said. No peacekeepers were hurt.

And in fighting elsewhere, at least two Afghan soldiers and about 30 suspected militants were killed, Afghan and US-led coalition forces said.

Captain Drew Gibson, a spokesman for the British military in southern Afghanistan, said the two UK soldiers killed in Helmand had been taking part in a "planned operation".

"The patrol was supported by close air support and by the quick reaction force that came out to support them," he said.

"Both those forces were then involved in separate contact incidents, and both were supported by close air support and artillery."

'Great sorrow'

Defence Secretary Des Browne expressed his condolences to their families at an event to mark the UK's first National Veterans' Day.

He told hundreds of war veterans: "It is with great sorrow that I begin this speech by confirming that two of our armed forces have been killed in Afghanistan."

Mr Browne said his deepest sympathy went to the soldiers' loved ones, adding that it was not appropriate at this stage to give more details of events surrounding their deaths.

"We are here of course today to honour Veterans' Day and the events last night in Afghanistan serve as a powerful reminder of the highest price that many members of our armed services have paid across the years," he added.

The soldiers who died were the second and third British troops killed in Helmand, an area known for Taleban activity and opium production.

Captain Jim Philippson, of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, was killed earlier this month.

'Under Taleban control'

The company of troops arrived in Sangin last week after about 40 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed in heavy fighting.

 

The BBC's Alastair Leithead, with British troops in Afghanistan, has confirmed that the two soldiers killed had been travelling in a Snatch Land Rover.

His understanding is that they had left the vehicle when its was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

The defence secretary said on Monday the use of the vehicles by British forces in Iraq is to be reviewed.

They have been criticised for being a "soft target", especially for the roadside bombs which have killed a number of UK soldiers.

Our correspondent said the government headquarters in the region was on the point of being taken over by the Taleban and that local elders had made it clear that the Taleban was in control of much of the district.

The British troops were expecting an attack, he added.

The number of UK soldiers in Afghanistan is expected to peak at 5,700 later this year - the majority of whom will be in Helmand.

They are heading a Nato mission charged with reconstructing the region following years of Taleban rule and a US-led invasion.

Information from the MoD shows that 10 British servicemen have died in Afghanistan since November 2001.

 

[tomahawk6]

My condolences to the families of the soldiers who were killed in action and for a speedy recovery of the wounded soldier.

 

[pbi]

for our allied comrades, just as for our own. One force, one fight.

Cheers

 

[Jake]

 

[17thRecceSgt]

RIP troops

 

[Hot Lips]

Deepest Sympathies to the family and friends of those who have passed.
God's speed in recovery to the other soldier.

HL

 

[wildman0101]

rip  .
condolences to the friends and family
                              scoty                                                                                                 

 

[big bad john]

The Guardian has reported the two casualties as RM SBS, while The Times has reported them as SAS, either way they agree that they were Special Operators.  More to follow as it comes...

I said a prayer for them and theirs today.  God Bless.

 

[geo]

Best wishes to all - get well soon.

Don't get mad..... get even

Chimo!

 

[big bad john]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,1807623,00.html

Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan

· SBS men die after ambush in Taliban stronghold
· 12 insurgents killed by artillery and air strike

Richard Norton-Taylor and Declan Walsh in Islamabad
Wednesday June 28, 2006
The Guardian


Two SBS special forces soldiers were killed and another seriously injured early yesterday in an hour-long gunfight after being ambushed in the Sangin Valley, a notorious Taliban sanctuary in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
The attack was one of three major gun battles that erupted across the southern provinces, underscoring the dangers facing British and other Nato troops as they aim to curb the Taliban resurgence.

The soldiers from the Special Boat Service were returning from a night patrol when insurgents hit their armoured "snatch" Land Rover with a rocket-propelled grenade. The soldiers left the vehicle and two died in the ensuing battle. The injuries to the third were described last night as serious but not life-threatening.

Other SBS soldiers called in a quick reaction force of paratroopers from the nearby joint British-Afghan military base in the town of Sangin, which also came under Taliban fire. British commanders also called in 105mm light artillery and air support from British Harrier jets, Apache attack helicopters and American A-10 "warthog" low-flying jets. The provincial police chief said 12 Taliban were killed and 20 were injured in the attack. Such bloody confrontations have become daily events in Afghanistan's most violent period since the Taliban was ousted in 2001. This year more than 1,100 people have died, including about 50 foreign troops.
The SBS soldiers were the second and third combat fatalities since the start of operations in Helmand province, a lawless area rife with Taliban insurgents and opium production. Captain Jim Philippson, of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, was killed in Sangin this month. The 3,300 British troops in Helmand are spearheading an ambitious 9,000-troop Nato deployment to the southern provinces that is due to start on July 31.

A company of about 150 British paratroopers was deployed to Sangin last week after a spate of attacks that killed about 40 Afghan soldiers. The SBS, which patrols in small groups, is likely to have been in the area for longer. Captain Drew Gibson, a British military spokesman in southern Afghanistan, said he saw the clashes as a sign of greater stability. "If you put more troops into an area it will rattle people's cages. The enemy has less freedom of movement and they react to that."

Yesterday's casualties may stoke the controversy surrounding British troops' use of open-topped Land Rovers, which offer limited protection. "It's a balance of protection, mobility and risk," said Capt Gibson. "If you drive around in fully armoured vehicles you can't talk to the local population." The vehicles have been criticised as a soft target after the roadside bombs which have killed some 18 British soldiers in Iraq. Des Browne, defence secretary, told MPs on Monday that the issue was being reviewed. Defence sources said possible alternatives include the RG-31 mine-protected armoured vehicle made by a BAE Systems subsidiary in South Africa and used by US forces in Iraq.

Responding to questions about equipment available to UK forces in Afghanistan, Tony Blair's spokesman said last night: "Let us be clear that the very sad deaths today were down to those who attacked British troops. We shouldn't make it any more complicated than it is. Our thoughts are with their families."

Militants yesterday ambushed an Afghan National Army (ANA) patrol in Musa Qala, about 20 miles to the north of Sangin. Two Afghan soldiers and 11 Taliban insurgents were killed, said General Rahmatullah Roufi, the ANA commander for southern Afghanistan. Firefights also raged in Ghazni and Uruzgan provinces, leaving at least 13 Taliban dead, according to Afghan authorities. In northern Afghanistan two civilians were killed and eight wounded after a suicide car bomb exploded outside a German military base in Kunduz, a normally peaceful province.

In the Commons, Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, said he had just returned from the country and was shocked to see how badly reconstruction efforts were coordinated.

The former Labour Foreign Office minister Chris Mullin pointed to problems with the crop substitution programme in Helmand province, which aims to stop farmers growing opium poppies. Several hundred Afghan farmers' cheques had not been honoured, he told MPs. "Unsurprisingly, they're rather angry about it and we are bearing some of the brunt of their anger".

FAQ The mission

How many British troops are there in Afghanistan?

More than 5,000 will be deployed this summer, most of them - more than 3,000 - based near Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, a hostile region and centre of the opium poppy trade in the south. Combat troops include 3 Para, supported by Apache attack helicopters.

Under whose command are they?

Brigadier Ed Butler is commander of the taskforce in Helmand. It is part of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force, which has its headquarters in Kabul under the command of Lt Gen Sir David Richards.

What is their aim?

In the British government's words, "to spread the authority of the Afghan government across the country" by building up local Afghan forces, and developing the economy.

How are they meant to achieve it?

By defeating insurgents, including Taliban supporters, criminals and drug smugglers. British troops have more robust rules of engagement than most of their European Nato allies who have forces there.

How long will they be there for?

The initial deployment is for three years. However, the government admits there can be no long-term stability in Afghanistan unless the opium trade is "tackled", and that will take many years. That task, it says, is primarily the responsibility of the Afghan authorities, with money from the international community.

 

[big bad john]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2246906,00.html

SAS troops killed in midnight ambush
By Tim Albone in Kabul and Michael Evans, Defence Editor



TWO SAS soldiers were killed in a midnight ambush in southern Afghanistan during an hour-long firefight with the Taleban, which ended only after an RAF Harrier and an army Apache attack helicopter bombarded hostile positions.
The battle erupted on Monday as an undercover unit of SAS soldiers was operating on the outskirts of Sangin in the northern part of Helmand province. The unit came under sustained fire, and as the special forces troops took up defensive positions, they called for back-up. The soldiers who were killed were on foot.



Defence sources said that a quick-reaction force from 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery arrived in Land Rovers, equipped with 105mm light artillery. The rescue force also came under fire and one of its Land Rovers was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Last night the Ministry of Defence would not release either the names of the soldiers or confirm their regiment until next of kin had been informed. A third soldier was seriously wounded.

As part of the back-up, a Harrier GR7 and an Apache attack helicopter provided air support, targeting Taleban positions, and the 105mm light guns were also used. The deployment of air power and artillery underlined the scale of the ambush and the determination of the British to seize control of Sangin, which military sources described as “a toxic mixture” of Taleban and drug traffickers.

While these are the first members of the SAS believed to have been killed in Afghanistan, the British Army has now lost three of its soldiers in the Sangin area since deploying to Helmand a few weeks ago. Captain James Philippson of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery was the first to be killed in Sangin. He was shot while trying to rescue colleagues from an ambush two weeks ago. Ten have been killed in Afghanistan since the British were first deployed there, in November 2001.




The Taleban, who, it is believed, lost several fighters in the attack on Monday, immediately claimed responsibility for the deaths, with Qari Mohammed Yousaf, its purported spokesman, telling the Reuters news agency that his fighters carried out the ambush.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, offered his deepest condolences to the families of the latest victims. He had hinted that it was a special forces operation when he said that the soldiers were not part of the Helmand battle group.

The district of Sangin, in the mountainous north of the province, is known to be a hotbed of Taleban activity. The steep valley sides provide ideal places from which to launch ambushes. The area has no roads, only dusty tracks, and Taleban fighters know the terrain well.

The British were airlifted in by Chinook helicopters from Camp Bastion, the main British base, only weeks ago and are still learning the terrain. Movements are hampered by sweltering heat, of about 45C (113F).

The troops are particularly vulnerable to rocket attacks and roadside bombs because the armoured Land Rovers that they drive were designed for Northern Ireland and offer only light Kevlar protection. However, military sources emphasised that “no one died inside a Land Rover” on Monday.

In other violence, two Afghan soldiers and 11 Taleban rebels were killed in fighting 20 miles north of Sangin in the town of Musa Qala. In the province of Uruzgan, which borders Helmand, a further ten militants were killed after their compound was stormed by coalition and Afghan forces.

In Ghazni province police and Taleban clashed, leaving three militants dead. A suicide attack targeting a German military convoy in the province of Kunduz killed two Afghan civilians as well as the bomber.

BRITISH FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN

There are 3,300 troops of 16 Air Assault Brigade — which includes 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment — and eight Apache helicopters, at Lashkar Gah, Helmand province


1,000 troops are in Kabul with the HQ staff of Nato’s International Security Assistance Force


200 RAF personnel with six Harrier GR7 bombers are in Kandahar


Total military presence: about 5,000, including Royal Engineers building Camp Bastion, the main base in Helmand province


Total casualties: ten since November 2001. Five have died from hostile action

 

[big bad john]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2248312,00.html

The Times June 29, 2006


SAS men died in ambush after snatching four Taleban chiefs
By Michael Evans, Defence Editor



 

 
THE two special forces soldiers killed during an hour-long gunfight in southern Afghanistan were part of a daring raid on a Taleban stronghold in which four key commanders on the “Most Wanted” list were seized. The details of the “snatch” operation emerged as the next of kin were told of their deaths. The men’s names will not be released after a request from the families.
The SAS, the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service (SBS) and the newly formed Special Forces Support Group, consisting of troops from the 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were all involved in the largest covert operation in the area since British troops were deployed there last month.

Defence sources said there had been intelligence that four key Taleban leaders were in a compound in the village of Sangin, north of Helmand province, where 3,300 British troops are based. The special forces were supported by two companies of about 100 paratroops from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. The soldiers from 3 Para launched an attack on the compound, providing covering fire as the snatch squad moved in and grabbed the four. They were described as “high-value targets”.



At that stage there had been no British casualties and the mission appeared to have been a success.

The snatch squad with the soldiers from 3 Para were to withdraw rapidly in Land Rovers and rendezvous with a quick-reaction force, south of Sangin village. The force consisted of about thirty Gurkhas and other paratroops armed with 105mm light guns, the only artillery the British forces have taken to Afghanistan.

The sources said that as the two units were approaching each other in the pitch dark, they were ambushed by dozens of Taleban fighters who must have been contacted after the attack. Some reports suggested that there were at least seventy-five Taleban fighters, with rocket-propelled grenades, machineguns and AK47 Kalashnikov rifles.

The sources emphasised that the Taleban held the advantage as they were firing from well-concealed ambush positions.

A full-scale battle ensued, with troops coming under fire for more than a hour. One soldier said: “We stood and fought very hard.” During the battle, two of the seized Taleban escaped and the other two were killed. The sources said that the two dead men were probably hit by crossfire.

It was during the battle that the two special forces soldiers were also killed. One of them was believed to be part of the Special Forces Support Group set up last year to provide extra firepower for SAS and SBS operations. The SAS and SBS are operating together in southern Afghanistan.

The British troops called for airpower to attack the Taleban ambush positions, and the major assault ended only when an RAF Harrier GR7 from Kandahar and an Army Air Corps Apache attack helicopter arrived. Up to thirty Taleban were killed, sources said.

Brigadier Ed Butler, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, said: “The two soldiers [who died] acted with great courage and outstanding personal bravery, given the odds they faced.”

Intelligence sources said that about 1,000 Taleban fighters had come into Helmand province from Pakistan in the past few weeks, which illustrates the scale of the challenge troops are now facing.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, who is in Afghanistan, said that America would not allow “ruthless” Taleban enemies to succeed. As she was in Kabul two suicide bombers killed themselves in the southern province of Zabul in what appeared to have been a botched attack on a US convoy.

 

[GAP]

My condolances  Takes some brass ones, these guys are good

 

[The Bread Guy]

Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act - http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/info/act-e.html#rid-33409

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2248312,00.html

SAS men died in ambush after snatching four Taleban chiefs
By Michael Evans, Defence Editor, Times (UK) Online, 29 Jun 06
 
''THE two special forces soldiers killed during an hour-long gunfight in southern Afghanistan were part of a daring raid on a Taleban stronghold in which four key commanders on the “Most Wanted” list were seized. The details of the “snatch” operation emerged as the next of kin were told of their deaths. The men’s names will not be released after a request from the families.

The SAS, the Royal Marines’ Special Boat Service (SBS) and the newly formed Special Forces Support Group, consisting of troops from the 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were all involved in the largest covert operation in the area since British troops were deployed there last month.

Defence sources said there had been intelligence that four key Taleban leaders were in a compound in the village of Sangin, north of Helmand province, where 3,300 British troops are based. The special forces were supported by two companies of about 100 paratroops from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. The soldiers from 3 Para launched an attack on the compound, providing covering fire as the snatch squad moved in and grabbed the four. They were described as “high-value targets”.

At that stage there had been no British casualties and the mission appeared to have been a success.

The snatch squad with the soldiers from 3 Para were to withdraw rapidly in Land Rovers and rendezvous with a quick-reaction force, south of Sangin village. The force consisted of about thirty Gurkhas and other paratroops armed with 105mm light guns, the only artillery the British forces have taken to Afghanistan.

The sources said that as the two units were approaching each other in the pitch dark, they were ambushed by dozens of Taleban fighters who must have been contacted after the attack. Some reports suggested that there were at least seventy-five Taleban fighters, with rocket-propelled grenades, machineguns and AK47 Kalashnikov rifles.

The sources emphasised that the Taleban held the advantage as they were firing from well-concealed ambush positions.

A full-scale battle ensued, with troops coming under fire for more than a hour. One soldier said: “We stood and fought very hard.” During the battle, two of the seized Taleban escaped and the other two were killed. The sources said that the two dead men were probably hit by crossfire.

It was during the battle that the two special forces soldiers were also killed. One of them was believed to be part of the Special Forces Support Group set up last year to provide extra firepower for SAS and SBS operations. The SAS and SBS are operating together in southern Afghanistan.

The British troops called for airpower to attack the Taleban ambush positions, and the major assault ended only when an RAF Harrier GR7 from Kandahar and an Army Air Corps Apache attack helicopter arrived. Up to thirty Taleban were killed, sources said.

Brigadier Ed Butler, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, said: “The two soldiers [who died] acted with great courage and outstanding personal bravery, given the odds they faced.”

Intelligence sources said that about 1,000 Taleban fighters had come into Helmand province from Pakistan in the past few weeks, which illustrates the scale of the challenge troops are now facing.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, who is in Afghanistan, said that America would not allow “ruthless” Taleban enemies to succeed. As she was in Kabul two suicide bombers killed themselves in the southern province of Zabul in what appeared to have been a botched attack on a US convoy. ''

 

[Jake]

 

[big bad john]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CaptainDavidPattenAndSergeantPaulBartlettKilledInAfghanistanOn27June2006.htm

Captain David Patten and Sergeant Paul Bartlett killed in Afghanistan on 27 June 2006
4 Jul 06
The two British military personnel killed in Afghanistan on 27 June 2006 have today (Tuesday 4 July 2006) been named as Captain David Patten and Sergeant Paul Bartlett.

During a planned operation in the Sangin valley, northern Helmand province, in the early morning of 27 June, a UK patrol came under attack. One further soldier was seriously wounded. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening. Next of kin have been informed.

Captain David Patten of the Parachute Regiment was born on 12 Sept 1967. Sergeant Paul Bartlett Royal Marines was born on 3 March 1971.

The families of the two personnel have made a specific request that they be afforded privacy at this difficult time.

 

[geo]

At the going down of the sun
and in the morn
we will remember them!

CHIMO!

 

[tomahawk6]

If it werent for their excellant drills and NV capability the snatch mission could have been resulted in alot more casualties. Intel had missed the location of a taliban force essentially blocking the route of the snatch team.