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139 Troop Kings Squad Pass-out Parade. The ceremony took place on the Parade ground at Commando Training Centre, Lympstone on Friday the 21st September 2012. The presenting officer for the occasion Lieutenant Colonel N Sutherland MBE Royal Marines Commanding Officer 42 Commando.
Crown Copyright 2012
Liam doesn't waste energy lifting his butt of the ground - he just scoots at high speed across the floor like a commando crawling under the barbed wire (you know, like in "Stripes").
Royal Marines from Reconnaissance Troop 42 Commando conducting Modern Urban Combat (MUC) drills. The training was part of Exercise Black Alligator and was conducted in Area Delta of the Mount Facility at 29 Palms in California, USA.
Crown Copyright 2012
Pictured Lt Tom Lucy of K Company 42 Commando on patrol with his section outside of Patrol Base 5 in Helmand Province, Afhanistan.
Athlete swaps Olympic glory for the Royal Marines.
After winning a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, Lieutenant Tom Lucy has finally achieved his childhood dream of becoming a Royal Marine.
As if triumphing at the Olympics wasn't enough, Lt Lucy wanted to join the most elite team in the world and become a member of the Armed Forces and deploy to Afghanistan.
At the half-way point of his tour leading the troops of K Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines in Nahr-e Saraj south in Helmand Province, Lt Lucy is facing challenges that are slightly different to those he's been used to.
After helping Great Britain's eight-man rowing crew finish just behind Canada in the Beijing finals in 2008, he decided to fulfil his childhood ambition of joining the Royal Marines and earning the coveted green beret. This meant giving up his chance of rowing in the London 2012 Olympics.
Lt Lucy said:
"Joining the Royal Marines was always my life-time ambition; ever since I was six that's all I've wanted to do. I started rowing when I was fifteen. I had a brilliant time and got as far as I'd ever hoped and dreamed I'd get and after that it was time for a change."
Every day in Afghanistan is different for Lt Lucy and he can find himself patrolling with the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, to providing security for veterinary engagements.
He said:
"It's very important work and we're helping to build the capability of the Afghan forces every single day. We're always out and about developing our relationship with the local people and deterring insurgents.
Lt Lucy learned some vital strengths during his time as an athlete that are easily transferrably to his current job in the Royal Marines, such as staying fit and working in a team.
With only a year to go until the London 2012 Olympics, Lt Lucy knows he's now where he truly belongs:
"When I come to watch the 2012 Olympics I will feel a pang of wishing I was there, but I know it'll only be temporary.
"I really enjoy the job and my team are doing a fantastic job. Tangible progress is being made and I get immense satisfaction from seeing the differences that we are helping to make for the Afghan people. It's immensely rewarding.
"If I'd carried on rowing for four years it would have made the transition into this career a lot more difficult and also there's no guarantee that you'll get there.
"The four years of Olympiad is frought with dangers of illness and injury and on race day there's no guarantee you're going to achieve the result you want. So I'm happy to be where I am."
However, being the tender age of 23, Lt Lucy hasn't ruled out future competitions and you may see him in Rio de Janeiro in 2016:
"I won't get back into it too soon, as there's still things I want to achieve in the Royal Marines, but I've not written it off at all. If I can get myself back into shape I'll give it another shot in the near future."
Royal Marines from 42 Commando, have been perfecting specialist boarding skills and practicing saving downed aircrew as they operate at the heart of the UK Carrier Strike Group
Photos: Royal Navy
Image shows the VIP visit of Brigadier General George W. Smith, Jr. Commanding General, MAGTF Training Command and Commanding General , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre.
The Brigadier General was escorted by the Commanding Officer of 42 Royal Marines Commando Lieutenant Colonel Neil Sutherland MBE RM and the Regiment Sergeant Major Matthew Tomlinson.
Image shows the Brigadier Generals visit to Kilo Company( Fire Support Group) as the demonstrate firing 50 Cal' Heavy Machine Gun(HMG).
CROWN COPYRIGHT
Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay
Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.
The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Photos: LPhot Joe Cater
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Members of 42 Commando, part of 3 Commando Brigade, during Exercise PASHTUN DAGGER at Copehill Down Village on Salisbury Plain, UK. 3 Commando Brigade will take over as Task Force Helmand from 16 Air Assault Brigade in April 2011.
An entry for the Fine Clonier Clone Wars Combatant contest.
The Shock Commandos were an elite section of the Republic Commandos, whose weapons, armour and training were better than the ordinary Commandos.
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
The commando memorial designed by Scott Sutherland stands 17feet tall (5.2 metres) facing southward toward Ben Nevis, was unveiled in 1952 by the Queen mother. It is located approxamately 1 mile northwest of Spean Bridge at the junction of the A82 and B8004, the location was chosen because it is on route from Spean Bridge railway station to the former commando training centre at nearby Achnacarry Castle. Arriving prospective commandos would de-train after a 14 hour journey, load their kit bags onto waiting trucks and then speed march the 7 miles to the training centre in full kit and weapons weighing 36 llbs (16 kilo). Anyone not completing the march within 60 minutes were immediatley RTU'd.
Royal Marines from Reconnaissance Troop 42 Commando conducting Modern Urban Combat (MUC) drills. The training was part of Exercise Black Alligator and was conducted in Area Delta of the Mount Facility at 29 Palms in California, USA.
Crown Copyright 2012
Marines end cold weather training with three hour battle
Images captured show ranks from 45 Commando Royal Marines, Commando Logistics Regiment (CLR) and Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) conducting ski training as part of the Cold Weather Warfare Course (CWWC). The Commandos started their training with a 5km insertion on snow shoes. The troops spent their first three nights of the four week course in ten man tents where temperatures dropped to a bone chilling -20. The training took place at Asegarden, Norway and is part of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines winter cold weather training package known as Exercise Cetus 13
Royal Marines have completed six weeks of Arctic training with an all-out assault on one of the relics of Hitler’s vaunted Fortress Europe. The green berets of Arbroath-based 45 Commando, plus the Commando Logistic Regiment from North Devon and their supporting air power, the Commando Helicopter Force at Yeovilton, staged a three-hour attack on a wartime fortress near Harstad in northern Norway – as the climax of Exercise Cetus 13. The marines decamped from their bases in the UK to join the Norwegians at the small port, some 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle for Exercise Cetus 13. There is no harsher environment in which to live, work and fight – deep snow, ice, temperatures fall regularly below -30˚C (and take it down another 20˚C with wind chill). Such conditions test men and machines to the limit. Around 135 green berets from 45 Commando – currently the UK’s lead commando group, who are ready to deploy around the world at short notice should they be required – crossed the North Sea for Cetus 13, using the Norwegian Army camp at Åsegarden, just outside Harstad, as their base. Having mastered the arts of survival in the Arctic – living in snow holes (a man-made ‘cave’ carved out of the snow), skiing, marching on snow shoes for five kilometres (three miles) with 30kg (66lb) of kit on their backs, personal care (such as not touching exposed metal) – it was time to move on to the fighting element of the training.
Photographs by PO (Phot) Sean Clee – MOD/Crown copyright 2013
Royal Marines from 40 Commando Royal Marines participate in an assault on Range 210 as part of Exercise Black Alligator 13 aboard the Combat Center Oct. 20, 2013.
Royal Marines from 40 Commando Royal Marines culminated weeks of training and preparation aboard the Combat Center with an assault on Range 210 as part of Exercise Black Alligator 13, Oct. 20, 2013.
They are in the USA to hone their warfighting skills alongside their US colleagues at the sprawling United States Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre, which has nearly 1,000 sq miles of ideal training ground.
(Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Paul S. Martinez/Released)
Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay
Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.
The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Photos: LPhot Joe Cater
Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, begin setting up tents which function as the brigade's command post in tactical environments during a command post training exercise, November 18, at Fort Drum, New York. This CPX is the second in a series of training events allowing the brigade staff to rehearse, execute and evaluate the collective training tasks essential to the brigade’s mission. Soldiers across the Commando brigade have spent months progressing from individual to collective mission essential tasks as they work toward brigade level certification at the Joint Readiness Training Center. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Paige Behringer)
French Marine Commandos taking part in the large scale American Amphibious warfare exercise Bold Alligator 2012
© ECPAD - Tous droits réservés 2010
All these excellent photos are from Ecpad : www.ecpad.fr/
Royal Marines of 40 Commando and Army Commandos taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
A U.K. Royal Marine with 45 Commando participates a combined operation part of exercise Blue Raptor in Frasselli, France, Nov. 20, 2015. The Allied Maritime Basing Initiative is a proof-of-concept to provide the U.S. and NATO allies a year-round, maritime-based crisis response force by leveraging the amphibious capabilities residing in Europe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo/Released)
Het 2 Bataljon Commando traint in Tsjechië
Het 2 Bataljon Commando (2 Cdo) is op zondag 1 maart vertrokken naar het militaire oefenterrein van Boletice, in het zuiden van Tsjechië. Daar trainen ze gedurende twee weken om zich voor te bereiden op hun deelname aan de snelle NAVO-reactiemacht (NRF), die in januari 2016 van start gaat.
De snelle reactiemacht van de NAVO bestaat uit land-, lucht- en maritieme componenten en uit Special Forces, die de alliantie over heel de wereld snel kan inzetten.
“We bereiden ons al sinds januari 2015 voor op onze deelname aan de NRF” zegt luitenant-kolonel Vincent Pierard, korpscommandant van het 2 Bataljon Commando “Onze eerste oefening vond plaats in het Nederlandse Amersfoort, waar we een stafoefening hielden.”
Na de training voor de staf van het bataljon is het nu de beurt aan de militairen op het terrein. De eerste week van de trainingsperiode oefenen de paracommando’s van het 2 Cdo op de uitvoering van sectie- en pelotonsaanvallen. Van vrijdag 6 tot zondag 8 maart bleven de militairen non-stop op het terrein tijdens een veldtrainingsoefening. Hierbij kregen ze verschillende scenario’s voorgeschoteld, zoals een explosievenopslagplaats die ze moesten ontruimen of gijzelaars die ze moesten bevrijden. De tweede week werden de compagniecommandanten op de proef gesteld. Van 9 tot 11 maart ontplooiden ze hun compagnieën op de schietstanden met lucht-, genie- en artilleriesteun.
“De komende maanden houden we nog verschillende oefeningen, zodat we klaar zijn voor de grote evaluatieoefening die de NAVO eind september organiseert”, vertelt luitenant-kolonel Pierard. “In november ten slotte nemen we deel aan een laatste oefening voordat onze standby-periode begint. Die zal plaatsvinden in Spanje en alle landen die deelnemen aan de NRF 2016 zullen er aanwezig zijn.”
Photo's: Daniel Orban
An Afghan commando, with the Afghan National Army’s 3rd Commando Kandak, provides security overwatch via rooftop for fellow Commandos and U.S. Navy SEALs , with Special Operations Task Force – South, during a village clearing operation in Khakrez district, May 6, Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Missions such as these are conducted on a regular basis to hinder Taliban influence throughout the province and increase security for the general populace.
Commandos set their sights on close-combat training
Royal Marines of 40 Commando honed their day and night-fighting skills with a week of intense training in mock towns in Kent. The Norton Manor-based commandos practised close quarters battle on special ranges at Lydd and Hythe, trying out an enhanced rifle sight to improve their already-impressive marksmanship.
Royal Marines of 40 Commando stand guard at the façade of a house on the ranges at Lydd and Hythe in Kent as Exercise Hawk – a week of close-combat training – draws to a close.
The commandos decamped from their base at Norton Manor in Somerset to the two training areas on the Channel.
The ranges at Lydd, about five miles west of Dungeness, have been used by troops for more than 150 years, while those at Hythe, a dozen miles to the east, are two centuries old and are dominated by a couple of Martello towers and Grand Redoubt, built to keep Napoleon at bay.
Some 200 years later, the ranges are in use almost daily – and have been adapted to meet the demands of today’s Armed Forces, with a mock modern-day housing estate, complete with roads, roundabouts and cars, built at both, while the Lydd ranges are strewn with wrecked old armoured vehicles.
40 Commando made full use of their week in Kent, from the annual combat marksmanship test to compound clearance and defending forward operating bases.
There was also the opportunity for the Royals to let loose with heavy weapons and each company carried out nighttime live firing.
And for the first time 40 tested the new ELCAN sight – there’s a small red cross for the aiming point – which is easier to use and better in the dark than the existing sights; troops still need to understand its capability, how to mount it on SA80 rifles and how to zero it – all of which was done in Kent.
For close quarters battle (also known as close combat or, in old parlance, hand-to-hand fighting), a separate sight is fitted on top of the ELCAN sight to allow the commandos to rapidly engage their targets.
As well as live firing, the Norton Manor men also used ‘simunition’ – simulated ammunition, which possesses the dynamics of the real thing, minus the lethality – to add an extra layer of realism to Exercise Hawk.
“40 Commando had plenty of time to practise close quarters skills and the simunition added a realistic dimension to the training,” explained Lt Dougal Loadman.
139 Troop Kings Squad Pass-out Parade. The ceremony took place on the Parade ground at Commando Training Centre, Lympstone on Friday the 21st September 2012. The presenting officer for the occasion Lieutenant Colonel N Sutherland MBE Royal Marines Commanding Officer 42 Commando.
Crown Copyright 2012
U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa and U.K. Royal Marines with 45 Commando clear rooms during a combined operation part of exercise Blue Raptor in Frasselli, France, Nov. 20, 2015. The Allied Maritime Basing Initiative is a proof-of-concept to provide the U.S. and NATO allies a year-round, maritime-based crisis response force by leveraging the amphibious capabilities residing in Europe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo/Released)
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
On the 18th of November 2012, HMS NORTHUMBERLAND boarding teams, both the embarked 43 Commando Royal Marines (Green) and the ships company (Blue) team conducted training onboard to simulate Contact of Interest (COI) and hostage handling techniques. The training is in preperation for the ship heading to the Middle East on Operational tasking.
Image shows Royal Marine Boarding Team as they fast rope from the Merlin helicopter onto HMS NORTHUMBERLAND.
Image by LA(Phot)Maxine Davies CROWN COPYRIGHT
This is a memorial to all the commandos who died in the Second World War.It portrays three of them looking out over the glens and mountains around Spean Bridge in Scotland where they trained. In recent years small memorial plaques have been left nearby and now an official Memorial Garden has been laid out in the grounds.
French Marine Commandos taking part in the large scale American Amphibious warfare exercise Bold Alligator 2012
© ECPAD - Tous droits réservés 2010
All these excellent photos are from Ecpad : www.ecpad.fr/
On the 18th of November 2012, HMS NORTHUMBERLAND boarding teams, both the embarked 43 Commando Royal Marines (Green) and the ships company (Blue) team conducted training onboard to simulate Contact of Interest (COI) and hostage handling techniques. The training is in preperation for the ship heading to the Middle East on Operational tasking.
Image shows Royal Marine Boarding Team as they fast rope from the Merlin helicopter onto HMS NORTHUMBERLAND.
Image by LA(Phot)Maxine Davies CROWN COPYRIGHT
Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200)
Images captured show a Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200) in the 29 Palms training area of California. Over 500 Royal Marines from 42 Commando were involved in the dawn raid. The mission saw the Commandos clear enemy from buildings and surrounding terrain. The attack was the final phase of the six week long training exercise, Black Alligator – December 2012
Photographs by PO (phot) Sean Clee Crown Copyright 2012
This news was released by Center for Public Policy Analysis on April 6, 2008
Laos, Vietnam: Mobilization to Kill Hmong
The Lao Peoples Democractic Republic (LPDR) regime, in cooperation with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), have issued a new order and drafted a comprehensive strategy to mount a major military offensive to exterminate thousands of Hmong in hiding in the jungles and mountains of Laos, including thousands of unarmed women and children.
(PressZoom) - The Lao Peoples Democractic Republic ( LPDR ) regime, in cooperation with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam ( SRV ), has issued a new order and drafted a comprehensive strategy to mount a major military offensive to exterminate thousands of Hmong in hiding in the jungles and mountains of Laos. The offensive will involve special battalions of troops and special operations commandos from Vietnam who are now being deployed to the closed military zones of operation. The reported object is to eliminate and exterminate some 15,000 Lao Hmong in hiding in key areas of Laos by the end of April 2008. Hmong in Laos are bracing for these new anticipated attacks by Laos and Vietnam which are expected to be massive and ruthless.
Reliable sources from inside Laos have stated that on March 23, 2008, the LPDR regime under the direction of President Choummaly Sayasone and Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Douangchay Phichit, who is also a Member of the Politburo and Major General Asang Laoly ordered the implementation of a comprehensive and deadly plan to intensify and expand military operations to attack and kill thousands of dissident unarmed Hmong civilians and opposition members in-hiding by the end of April 2008,stated Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. These new and ominous military actions, in cooperation with senior generals in Vietnam's Ministry of Defense, against unarmed civilians and the continued use of food as a weapon to kill thousands of unarmed Lao-Hmong people constitutes a clear violations of international law and rises to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity to which these individual military leaders in Laos and Vietnam will need to be held accountable and brought to trial, especially General Douangchay Phichit, Smith concluded. www.asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA260042004...
www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/world/asia/17laos.html
Amnesty International has issued numerous reports about war crimes in Laos, including a March 2007 report about the Lao military's attacks and mass starvation Hmong civilians and dissident and opposition groups. Independent humanitarian and human rights organizations as well as journalists including Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ), the New York Times, Time magazine ( Asia-Edition ), Le Monde, Al Jazeera and others have documented the attacks by the Lao military on Laotian and Hmong civilians, dissident and opposition groups in Laos.
www.english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3901AC50-813C-409F-8F...
www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA26/003/2007
The Lao Peoples Army ( LPA ) is reportedly mobilizing significant battalions of fresh combat troops in key areas of Laos, at the direction and command of PAVN units from Vietnam, and with the support of vintage, Soviet built MI-8 helicopter gunships equipped with rocket launchers and machine guns to launch ethnic cleansing operations and military attacks against thousands of unarmed Lao Hmong civilians at Phou Da Phao, Phou Bia Mountain area and elsewhere, Smith stated. Two MI-8 helicopter gunships were reportedly deployed again by the Lao military for several weeks to attack and kill the Lao and Hmong people seeking refuge and sanctuary in the Phou Da Phao area, Smith continued.
We condemn this new military campaign, and these cruel attacks, atrocities and war crimes by the Lao military and Vietnam on unarmed Hmong in Laos; we urge the international community to provide emergency intervention to seek to draw attention to this crisis and to stop this new round of upcoming military attacks which we understand will me massive in terms of the troop levels and the intervention of Vietnam to assist the Lao regime's efforts to wipe out and exterminate some 15,000 Hmong civilians in Laos, stated Vaughn Vang, Executive Director of the Lao Human Rights Council.http://www.presszoom.com/print_story_143358.html
Mr. Tong Pao Yang and Mr. Nou Mang Chang issued the following statement and joint appeal from inside Laos to the international community:
It is important to note, that the LPDR regime has reportedly suspended Colonel Kham Xeng Yang, a communist officer in the Lao Peoples Army ( LPA ) because he failed to complete the brutal order issued by the Lao Minister of Defense Lao Deputy Prime Minister & Defense Minister Douangchay Phichit, who is also Member of the Politburo, to kill or capture all Lao-Hmong civilians and dissident Hmong groups in-hiding in key areas inside Laos. The Lao regime is using Hmong soldiers to kill and commit war crimes against their fellow Hmong people, which they are sometimes not capable of doing. These are terrible crimes against humanity being committed by the military of Laos and Vietnam now against thousands of unarmed Hmong civilians that are surrounded and under attack.
Most importantly, however, on behalf of many thousands of Hmong groups now hiding from ongoing LPDR military attacks in Laos, we are appealing to the United States, U.S., U.S. Congress, United Nation, European Unions, ASEAN and the international community, to demand the Lao PDR regime to stop its current military offensive and ongoing attack helicopter and air force bombing. Major military units, and fresh battalions of troops, of the Lao military and Socialist Vietnam are now mobilizing for a new, upcoming planned ground offensive which seeks to massacre all Hmong in hiding groups which our information indicates will likely begin in early April of this year. We are innocent civilians, women and children and we do not want to be killed or captured by the Lao PDR government troops. All unarmed Hmong civilians, especially women and children have the right to life, liberty and the rights for a life free from persecution, torture and brutal human rights abuses currently be directed against our Lao and Hmong people by the communist regime of Laos and Vietnam.
Tong Pao Yang and Nou Mang Chang continued their statement from inside Laos and joint appeal to the international community:
Our information and field intelligence sources indicate that they have appointed Colonel Boa SaVan as one of the key commanders of the Lao PDR government to carry out this deadly operation which includes plans to continue to encircle, trap, kill and starve to death thousands of Laotian and Hmong civilians. The Lao PDR government has given the order to Colonel Boa SaVan's troops to slaughter or capture all remaining Hmong groups in hiding by the end of April 2008. Civilians will not be spared. A food is being used as a weapon to kill and starve our people who only seek to live in peace and freedom.
Mr. Tong Pao Yang and Mr. Nou Mang Chang concluded:
The LPDR's Colonel Boa SaVan has already worked to order new air attacks and the deployment of ground troops in Xieng Khouang Province to prepare for new attacks on Lao-Hmong groups in Phou Da Phao, Phou Bia and in Vang Vieng province. His military trucks have begun carrying his troops at night to the locations where Hmong groups in hiding are located and are standing by to launch fresh military attacks against these innocent Hmong groups in hiding in Vang Vieng Province. Large numbers of troops from Vietnam are also being deployed now to attack and kill our people.
In response to these developments, Vaughn Vang, Director, of the Lao Human Rights Council made the following four point statement:
We the Lao Human Rights Council propose the following four points to end the genocide, ethnic cleansing war, human rights violation, and mass starvation directed against some 15,000 Lao-Hmong civilians now hiding from attack and persecution in key jungle and mountain areas in Laos:
We urgently appeal to the United States, United Nations, the world community, European Union, ASEAN and international human rights and humanitarian organizations, to investigate and stop the communist Laos government's ethnic cleansing war, genocide, oppression and human rights violations, and campaign of mass starvation directed against dissident Lao and Hmong civilians and religious and minority opposition groups; and to press the LPDR regime to immediately end all military attacks from ground and air troops against the innocent, unarmed Hmong civilians, women, and children in-hiding in the jungle of Laos.
We urgently appeal to the United States, United Nations High Commission for Human Rights and the international community, International Human Rights Commission ( independent commission ) and other international human rights organizations to investigate and stop the ethnic cleansing war, human rights violation, and genocide, against the Lao-Hmong in-hiding in the jungle of Laos;
We urgently appeal to the United States, United Nations, the International Red Cross and international relief agencies to send food, and medical supplies, and to provide other basic human needs to the 15,000 Hmong who are being attacked daily and facing mass starvation, ethnic cleansing war and human rights violations against them in the jungle of Laos;
Finally, we urgently appeal to the United States, United Nation, and ASEAN Nations to bring true peace, democracy, human rights, stability and national reconciliation to Laos and the Lao-Hmong dissident and opposition groups who seek an open and free society.
Vaughn Vang continued : Some 15,000 Hmong civilians, women and children, trapped and surrounded by Lao and Vietnamese military units that seek to kill them are now urgently appealing to the United States, U.S. Congress, United Nations, and the international community to intervene in an emergency manner to save their lives. Without emergency intervention, the Hmong in-hiding in the jungle of Laos will continue to be starved to death, killed and subjected to atrocities, torture and war crimes by the Lao PDR government regimes by the end of April 2008.
This cry for help continues to come from the mountains and jungles of Laos due to the LPDR regime and Vietnams continued brutal persecution and killing of freedom-loving Laotian and Hmong people. Your immediately attention to the desperate lives of these innocent, unarmed Hmong civilians, women, and children in-hiding is demanded and necessary to give them the life, liberty and human rights they all, as human beings, deserve, Vaughn Vang, said in conclusion.
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A U.K. Royal Marine with 45 Commando observes the opposing force during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Range 220, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Jan. 27, 2019. ITX creates a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Rachel K. Young)
U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa and U.K. Royal Marines with 45 Commando clear rooms during a combined operation part of exercise Blue Raptor in Frasselli, France, Nov. 20, 2015. The Allied Maritime Basing Initiative is a proof-of-concept to provide the U.S. and NATO allies a year-round, maritime-based crisis response force by leveraging the amphibious capabilities residing in Europe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo/Released)
Miniature warriors from Families across 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, assembled to face Soldiers of the 41st Engineer Battalion during the Commando brigade's second "Nerf Wars" match held inside a makeshift battlefield configured throughout the Magrath Sports Complex basketball court, April 10, 2019, at Fort Drum, New York. Foam darts littered the gym floor during the "just for fun" event as opposing forces fueled by popcorn and cotton candy engaged in a play firefight.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Paige Behringer)