Week 22 - Commanding Officer's Notes

Another busy week has passed. OMLT 1 in Musa Qaleh has been conducting demanding manoeuvre operations to the south of the town with their affiliated Kandak. Both the Kandak and the OMLT mentors performed impressively. A great deal of ground was cleared and Taliban elements which were massing were disrupted and put to flight. Strongholds in Dagyan and Yatimchay were cleared, bunkers destroyed and weapons caches captured. OMLT 1 is to be congratulated on some excellent work in very demanding conditions.

Sangin saw some horrific events this week, although overall I still judge that the town is more secure than in Spring. Very sadly, 3 ANA and 3 US Marine Corps were killed in 2 separate IED incidents in the town 2 days ago. We repatriated a further ANA colleague who was killed by the Taliban yesterday in the Gereshk valley. One of the new Patrol Bases established by the ANA on the main highway was also attacked this week. These are grim reminders of the constant high level of the widespread threat in Helmand, despite slow progress in other areas.

The Russian made Hip helicopters, piloted by the ANA, coming in to land to take the repatriated ANA soldiers to their final resting place

OMLT 2 and Kandak 2 have been busy for most of the week planning a major operation; and then at short notice they were deployed to react to events unfolding west of Lashkar Gah. Our engineers have been helping the ANA procure engineer stores for various projects. I am told this sort of task has been made a great deal more easy by the lack of security in a nearby American engineer stores compound! On our side the QM's staff has been running a Logistic Support Inspection and a Board of Officers to prevent such Afghan initiative being displayed in our camp! OMLT 4 and Kandak 4 are almost fully established in Garmsir – working in support of Lt Col Doug Chalmer’s Battlegroup.

I spent time once more doing shuttle diplomacy between Shorabak and Lashkar Gah negotiating and planning various operations with the Governor, Police Chief, 3/205 Brigade Commander and Task Force Helmand. It was good to see two new R IRISH faces in the Task Force Headquarters: Major Ed Humphries who has taken up the principle plans post and Major Greg Murphy, who was visiting from the Permanent Joint Headquarters.  

We are all enjoying the significant drop in temperature. Less intense heat and the occasional breeze make for a real improvement. It is almost pleasant at times.

E B M FREELY
Lieutenant Colonel
Commanding Officer
1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment