Operation TOR SHEZADA (BLACK PRINCE) is now underway in central Helmand. The aim of the British and Afghan forces - led by 1st Battalion, The Duke Of Lancaster's Regiment (1 LANCS) - is to seize Sayedebad, a Taliban-controlled town in central Helmand.

Sayedebad sits between Nad-e Ali and Marjah in central Helmand. The area has a small community of around 6,000. The Trikh Zabur canal runs to the south of the area, with a crossing point which allows movement between Nad-e Ali and Marjah. Improved security around this important crossing point will increase freedom of movement for locals.

Over the weekend, soldiers serving with Somme Company, 1 LANCS continued to clear compounds in Taliban held-villages in the vicinity. Progress included the discovery of large find of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components and other bomb-making equipment.

Captain Brad Pino, 13 Platoon Commander said, "We left at first light to push round into an area we know that the insurgents have used before and where previously there has been an IED factory. So we've pushed out to clear the kalay (village) just to see if there are any insurgents still in the area and to find out what the local nationals know and whether they’re happy that ISAF are here."

He continued: "It's been really quiet. The locals seem quite on side and happy to see us. They've told us that the insurgents have been in the area recently, potentially there are still some insurgents in the area, and there are some IEDs in the area."

Working on intelligence gained on the ground, the Royal Engineer Search Team (REST), moved in to search a suspected IED factory once the remaining buildings had been cleared by soldiers from 1 LANCS and their Afghan colleagues. Lieutenant Amy Pennington from the Counter-IED Taskforce commented: "There was local intelligence that one of the compounds had been used as an IED factory. So my team was sent in to search that factory and we actually found component parts of IEDs."

After removing the cache the component charges were safely destroyed.

On day three, ongoing patrols around the town allowed forces to interact and reassure locals about the operation and the increased security it will create. Captain Brad Pino said:"We had reports that two insurgents had moved into these compounds to get eyes on to what we were up to... and they moved in with weapons. So we've moved down with the ANA to go through the compounds, check that there are no signs of insurgents and just ask the locals what they know of it. So we're out now providing protection for the ANA to go and speak to the local nationals."

As the patrol greeted locals at first light it met with no resistance, even though local intelligence suggested the Taliban had been in the area. The residents seemed pleased to see the soldiers and were happy to speak with them about possible IED locations in the vicinity.

Captain Pino said, "At the moment we have a multiple facing off to the east and south providing protection from that direction and we've got my guys facing to the west and north, and the ANA are in the middle of the two compounds chatting to the locals. Atmospherics are pretty good, so I don't think we're going to see much today."

He added "Once the ANA are happy and have got some good information off the locals we will push back to camp."