Stars & Stripes with R22eR Troops

[The Bread Guy]

A couple of pieces from a Stars & Stripes embed:

"Canadian forces take ‘ink spot’ approach"

For nearly a month, Canadian soldiers with Company A, Royal 22nd Regiment took mortar fire almost every day from a small group of Taliban fighters hiding somewhere in this abandoned, blasted village on the southern outskirts of Kandahar.

The Taliban mortars were little more than a nuisance for the troops. But a stray Taliban round killed a young girl in Balanday, a village just outside the camp, and insurgents had just attacked a patrol in Zalakhan.

Last week, the soldiers with Company A moved into Zalakhan to clear out the Taliban. They located a hideout atop a compound used by enemy spotters to fire at the Canadian outpost. In previous operations, they might have destroyed the site and moved on. This time, they plan to stay.

“It will be our headquarters now,” said 1st Lt. Alexandrew Hottin, a platoon leader with Company A.

The soldiers will remain in Zalakhan until the end of their tour as part of a new Canadian counterinsurgency approach that places small groups of soldiers in strategically important villages where they will live and operate alongside Afghan security forces and civilians ....

"Taliban mortar team cut down by Canadians"

Dusk was closing fast on a patrol of Canadian soldiers as they cleared a sector of this bombed-out, abandoned village. Suddenly, the puttering of a motorbike was heard in the distance.

The sound came as a surprise. The motorcycle was the first non-military vehicle they had heard since they moved in three days earlier to set up a new outpost here, about six miles southwest of the provincial capital of Kandahar.

The patrol — a group of French-Canadian soldiers from the Royal 22nd Regiment, known as the “Van Doos” — was split between two high-walled mud brick compounds on either side of a narrow dirt road that ran through the village.

“Take cover, boys,” the patrol leader shouted, as he and two other soldiers ducked behind a high metal gate into the compound on the right.

With the near-constant shelling of artillery in the area over the previous days, it was a safe bet that the rider was not just passing through. Chinese-made Honda motorcycles are the Taliban’s favorite method of transporting fighters and supplies around the Afghan battlefield ....

More on links

 

[jollyjacktar]

Nothing like a "good news" story.  Nice work boys, keep it up and keep safe.

 

[1feral1]

A good read indeed!

The only time our Combat Team made the Middle East edition of the Stars and Strips was in Jan 07 after we shot and killed a US contractor from Texas who operated a gargage truck that did not stop at our compound.

A regretable incident.

OWDU

 

[Spr.Earl]

I just got back after 2 and half months on TAV that was supposed to be 1 and half month living in BAT 3,in that time we had American Infanteer's from the Big Red I to the 4th Div Indian Head living in BAT 3 with us just passing through, they had nothing but praise for the Van Doo's ,the Arty,and the Genie from 5 Brigade.

Yup for a VERY SMALL ARMY we can still kick the can with a steel toed boot!

 

[jollyjacktar]

I am just back in camp after being given the opportunity to spend 6 weeks outside the wire.  Worked alongside the Stab B boys and others at times, good bunch of lads.  All of the troops I saw out there regardless of unit do us proud and allow all Canadians to hold their heads high. I wish them all continued success and good hunting, and hope to see them come home with me safe and sound after the tour.