Two Rifles
British Army teaches Afghan National Army and localÕs life saving skills to avoid Improvised Explosive Device danger.
ISAF and Afghan Forces determination to see security and stabilisation in Sangin begins to pay off.
“The British soldiers who were here in 2006 wouldn’t recognise this place,” said Phil Weatherill, Sangin’s civilian stabilisation advisor.
“The fact I am able to stand here bare headed would surprise them,” he added.
Stood on the junction of the town’s main bazaar road and the so called Avenue of Hope at the edge of the newly developed governance zone, back in 2006 he would have literally been dicing with death.
“If you travel through Sangin now you’re going to see the beginnings of real progress. You’ll see the improved roads, including the main 611 which has just been tarmac.
The next phase is to tarmac the main road through the bazaar, thus linking it directly with the governance zone.
We’ve also got solar street lighting going up which is incredible for security and provides a real perception of improvement for the local population,” he added.
Like elsewhere in Afghanistan security is of paramount importance if development and reconstruction is to take place at a pace acceptable to the local community here.
Ensuring that happens is the job of Battle Group (North) which is headed up by an assortment of UK units but predominantly 2 Rifles.
“This tour has been hard pounding, the boys here have done superbly well,” said Colonel Rob Thompson, commanding officer of the 2 Rifles Battle Group (North).
“We’ve made progress here in Sangin.
I characterise that by describing most of the progress as small, essential and rather unglamorous steps brining a little more security, stabilisation and some reconstruction to this part of Afghanistan.
For example the opening of around a 100 shops in the bazaar is a completely new sector. It’s not quite what one would expect on the edge of the M25 but it’s certainly got enough to keep her indoors in Sangin happy - and is an example of where we have seen improvement to the lives of normal Afghans, he added.
But it’s not been without cost. 2 Rifles have suffered more deaths than any other unit so far this tour.
Every patrol that ventures out into the Sangin area runs a gauntlet of dangers ranging from ambushes through to the insurgents now preferred method of attack, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Whilst a small number of IED’s have caused substantial pain and grief many hundreds more have been found and destroyed by 2 Rifles in the last few months - frustrating insurgent attempts to kill and maim both civilians and ISAF forces.
Despite this and despite the progress of the town’s development, for some locals the jury is still out.
It’s hardly surprising given the last 30 years of invasion, civil war and lawlessness.
People here know only to well the danger of backing the wrong horse.
“We have many problems one of which is a lack of electricity, especially here in the grain bazaar and in our houses, said 30 year Sangin shopkeeper, Sayed Fullah.
He is surrounded by friends and family in his brand new shop, part of the newly built grain bazaar, a project funded by the UK’s stabilisation fund.
He added: “If you look at our country, especially here in Sangin, there is not enough security.”
It’s a perception ISAF and the Afghan army and police forces here hope will soon change.
All around Sangin the Afghan National Army, under the guidance of UK forces, have been taking over and running patrol bases across the town, formerly occupied by British troops.
This is a key element of the area’s stabilisation and development plan - allowing the Afghans to begin taking control of their own security hand in hand with developing governance.
In addition the Afghan National Police (ANP) now has a highly visible presence in the town and one that is expanding.
“Since we’ve begun developing the ANP checkpoints in and around the bazaar, security is a little better especially in the centre of town, where before there was none. Now it is peaceful,” said Lt Muhammed Jamah, the town’s acting Chief of Police.
Stood in front of one of a number of new ANP check points and police stations being built throughout the town, he added:
“ISAF and Afghan coalition forces should continue to work together, conducting joint patrols and joint operations in the area. However, in the surrounding villages security is a problem.”
At a recent shurah (consultation) held at the ANA run Tangiers patrol base in Sangin local Afghans, many from nearby villages, said they were too scared of Taliban reprisals to accept ISAF help to build new wells and repair their mosques.
“There are huge problems of intimidation something that is inevitable in the kind of war that’s being fought here, said Sangin stabilisation advisor, Phil Weatherill.
“This is a counter-insurgency war and unfortunately there is going to be intimidation.
When someone turns up from the Taliban, they don’t even have to be armed. They simply go to a person’s home, sit down with them and have a cup of chai and give them a simple warning that perhaps it’s not a good idea for them to use the new community health centre or use the new ISAF funded school.
This is a kind of security militarily that is very difficult to fight against. Combating it has got to come from building the trust of the community and getting the community to start fighting back with us,” he added.
This is the long, hard task the UK and ISAF is now focussing on.
As one observer here noted ISAF is making ‘small baby steps’ that if continued will soon pick up greater pace and confidence.
It’s a sentiment shared by the commanding officer of 2 Rifles, Colonel Rob Thompson:
“I am struck on a daily basis by the grit, determination and indomitability of my men.
We see each of those who have been tragically killed in action here standing behind us and telling us to keep going, to keep fighting and to stay on the front foot and improve the lives of ordinary Afghans.”
ENDS
British Army teaches Afghan National Army and localÕs life saving skills to avoid Improvised Explosive Device danger.
ISAF and Afghan Forces determination to see security and stabilisation in Sangin begins to pay off.
“The British soldiers who were here in 2006 wouldn’t recognise this place,” said Phil Weatherill, Sangin’s civilian stabilisation advisor.
“The fact I am able to stand here bare headed would surprise them,” he added.
Stood on the junction of the town’s main bazaar road and the so called Avenue of Hope at the edge of the newly developed governance zone, back in 2006 he would have literally been dicing with death.
“If you travel through Sangin now you’re going to see the beginnings of real progress. You’ll see the improved roads, including the main 611 which has just been tarmac.
The next phase is to tarmac the main road through the bazaar, thus linking it directly with the governance zone.
We’ve also got solar street lighting going up which is incredible for security and provides a real perception of improvement for the local population,” he added.
Like elsewhere in Afghanistan security is of paramount importance if development and reconstruction is to take place at a pace acceptable to the local community here.
Ensuring that happens is the job of Battle Group (North) which is headed up by an assortment of UK units but predominantly 2 Rifles.
“This tour has been hard pounding, the boys here have done superbly well,” said Colonel Rob Thompson, commanding officer of the 2 Rifles Battle Group (North).
“We’ve made progress here in Sangin.
I characterise that by describing most of the progress as small, essential and rather unglamorous steps brining a little more security, stabilisation and some reconstruction to this part of Afghanistan.
For example the opening of around a 100 shops in the bazaar is a completely new sector. It’s not quite what one would expect on the edge of the M25 but it’s certainly got enough to keep her indoors in Sangin happy - and is an example of where we have seen improvement to the lives of normal Afghans, he added.
But it’s not been without cost. 2 Rifles have suffered more deaths than any other unit so far this tour.
Every patrol that ventures out into the Sangin area runs a gauntlet of dangers ranging from ambushes through to the insurgents now preferred method of attack, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Whilst a small number of IED’s have caused substantial pain and grief many hundreds more have been found and destroyed by 2 Rifles in the last few months - frustrating insurgent attempts to kill and maim both civilians and ISAF forces.
Despite this and despite the progress of the town’s development, for some locals the jury is still out.
It’s hardly surprising given the last 30 years of invasion, civil war and lawlessness.
People here know only to well the danger of backing the wrong horse.
“We have many problems one of which is a lack of electricity, especially here in the grain bazaar and in our houses, said 30 year Sangin shopkeeper, Sayed Fullah.
He is surrounded by friends and family in his brand new shop, part of the newly built grain bazaar, a project funded by the UK’s stabilisation fund.
He added: “If you look at our country, especially here in Sangin, there is not enough security.”
It’s a perception ISAF and the Afghan army and police forces here hope will soon change.
All around Sangin the Afghan National Army, under the guidance of UK forces, have been taking over and running patrol bases across the town, formerly occupied by British troops.
This is a key element of the area’s stabilisation and development plan - allowing the Afghans to begin taking control of their own security hand in hand with developing governance.
In addition the Afghan National Police (ANP) now has a highly visible presence in the town and one that is expanding.
“Since we’ve begun developing the ANP checkpoints in and around the bazaar, security is a little better especially in the centre of town, where before there was none. Now it is peaceful,” said Lt Muhammed Jamah, the town’s acting Chief of Police.
Stood in front of one of a number of new ANP check points and police stations being built throughout the town, he added:
“ISAF and Afghan coalition forces should continue to work together, conducting joint patrols and joint operations in the area. However, in the surrounding villages security is a problem.”
At a recent shurah (consultation) held at the ANA run Tangiers patrol base in Sangin local Afghans, many from nearby villages, said they were too scared of Taliban reprisals to accept ISAF help to build new wells and repair their mosques.
“There are huge problems of intimidation something that is inevitable in the kind of war that’s being fought here, said Sangin stabilisation advisor, Phil Weatherill.
“This is a counter-insurgency war and unfortunately there is going to be intimidation.
When someone turns up from the Taliban, they don’t even have to be armed. They simply go to a person’s home, sit down with them and have a cup of chai and give them a simple warning that perhaps it’s not a good idea for them to use the new community health centre or use the new ISAF funded school.
This is a kind of security militarily that is very difficult to fight against. Combating it has got to come from building the trust of the community and getting the community to start fighting back with us,” he added.
This is the long, hard task the UK and ISAF is now focussing on.
As one observer here noted ISAF is making ‘small baby steps’ that if continued will soon pick up greater pace and confidence.
It’s a sentiment shared by the commanding officer of 2 Rifles, Colonel Rob Thompson:
“I am struck on a daily basis by the grit, determination and indomitability of my men.
We see each of those who have been tragically killed in action here standing behind us and telling us to keep going, to keep fighting and to stay on the front foot and improve the lives of ordinary Afghans.”
ENDS