Having achieved their aims of establishing a patrol base and checkpoint east of Garbay Noray on days one and two of Op MOSHTARAK, soldiers from 1 Royal Welsh have now entered the next phase of the operation.

The ISAF troops, led by their Afghan National Army partners, sent out IED (Improvised Explosive Device) clearance patrols and held two Shuras (meetings with local elders), before being joined by the Trojan armoured vehicle on its first outing to Helmand province.

The first Shura was held at the checkpoint and the ISAF representative was Sgt Colin Pentith. Sgt Pentith is part of 1 Royal Welsh’s Non-Kinetic Effects Team.

"Really the concerns of the locals are just what you would expect anywhere. They are concerned about security and it then basic welfare - schools, hospitals, power and so on," he said. "It is up to us to reassure them that ISAF and the Afghan National Security Services will deliver that.

"This is also the start of our process of getting to know who is who in the local area so that we can identify who are the key leaders."

As part of the Hot Stabilisation process blankets and radios were distributed after the Shura, together with footballs and pens for the children.

Later in the day a convoy of Vikings and dismounted troops pushed through to the patrol base having set off from Camp Bastion (10 miles away) that morning. They were escorting the Trojan which is being used for the first time on Operations.

The Trojan, which weighs 65 tonnes and is re-enforced with extra armour, carves through the soil destroying any IEDs in its way. It is clearing the main supply route from Camp Bastion to the Nad e-Ali area.