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Sha Wali Kot Shootouts Kill Plenty
 Two attempted insurgent ambushes failed Sept. 4 as Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces, repelled and killed nearly two dozen enemy fighters in separate battles in northern Kandahar Province. These attacks come on the heels of a failed attack the night before that saw more than a dozen insurgents killed in the same district of Afghanistan. Todays failed ambushes occurred a little more than 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) apart. In the first engagement, a combined force of Afghan National Army and Coalition forces was on a combat patrol near Jalet Push Village, Sha Wali Kot District, Kandahar Province, when they spotted 20-25 insurgents in fighting positions and an unknown number of fighters taking up positions in a compound. The insurgents attacked the patrol with small arms and machine gun fire and continued to reinforce their positions throughout the daylong battle. The ANSF-led force repelled the attack using small arms, crew served weapons and Coalition close air support. Surgical and precision air strikes were carried out on positively identified enemy positions from where machine gun and RPG fire was originating. Over a dozen insurgents were killed in this engagement and one ANA soldier was wounded. No other ANA, Coalition or non-combatants were reported injured or killed.In the second engagement, a combined force of Afghan National Police and Coalition forces were conducting a separate combat patrol near Kabolah Village, Sha Wali Kot District, Kandahar Province, when they came under small-arms fire from more than a dozen insurgents. The insurgents attacked from compounds located within the village. The ANSF patrol returned fire with small arms and crew served weapons and called for Coalition close air support. Prior to engaging the insurgents with aircraft, the combined force utilized their loudspeaker system and notified the villagers to leave the area because an attack was imminent. The ANP spoke with the village elders as they left and confirmed that all of the non-combatants had evacuated. Coalition aircraft then engaged and destroyed the two buildings that the insurgents were using as fighting positions after the Taliban attacked again. Six insurgents were killed and two were wounded in this engagement. In addition, one Coalition servicemember was wounded during the battle. No other ANP, Coalition or non-combatants were reported wounded or killed in the fighting. The Afghan National Army is proving day after day that they are highly capable of finding and destroying the enemies of Afghanistan, said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesperson. Even when the insurgents have had time to fortify their positions, the ANA are determined to overcome the enemy obstacles. Let there be no doubt, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan along with Coalition forces will continue to hunt, fight and defeat the enemies of peace and stability. The Sha Wali Kot District is an area where multiple attacks on ANSF and Coalition forces have taken place in the past. Since Aug. 27, more than 150 extremist Taliban fighters have been killed during failed attempts to attack ANSF and Coalition forces.Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2007-09-05 |
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