Pictures of the fighting in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan

[kawaiku]

This is a thread on another sight that I frequent and I think that it would be nice to see some pictures from Afghanistan which seems to have become a sort of backwater operation(at least here in the States it seems to have).
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...d.php?t=109933
The pictures are a mix of '06-'07 when the Taliban attempted to retake the province in an offensive that saw some really heavy fighting. When I get the time, I'll post some videos from some of the fighting that has happened there.

[KG_Soldier]

Thanks, great pics.

[KG_Jag]

Lest we forget...thanks for the reminder of the guys sacrificing for the rest of us over there.

[KG_AirborneBob]

Awsome pics.....stirs up the Airborne spirit in me....

[KG_Swampfox]

There were some Brits in Balad while I was there.... We didnt interact with them much
The most disturbing thing I see in the linked pictures is a lack of body armor.
I'm not sure if these guys are issued IBA, and have chosen not to wear it, or if its not issued.
I hope it was their choice....
Odd to see bayonets fixed on such a short weapon, my brain is used to seeing them on longer rifles....

[kawaiku]

Originally Posted by KG_Swampfox

There were some Brits in Balad while I was there.... We didnt interact with them much
The most disturbing thing I see in the linked pictures is a lack of body armor.
I'm not sure if these guys are issued IBA, and have chosen not to wear it, or if its not issued.
I hope it was their choice....
Odd to see bayonets fixed on such a short weapon, my brain is used to seeing them on longer rifles....

I would suspect that the body armor is issued but that they decided not to wear it. The picture of our guys and the British guys is really cool. And I agree about the bayonets they're practically half the size of the rifles lol.

[KG_Soldier]

But they look sharp.

[kawaiku]

Here are some of the promised videos from Helmand and other Provinces:

This one isn't from Helmand but it is one helluva fight:
Dutch Commandos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnzA_8Juw94

Danes raiding a compound and get involved in a heavy firefight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93wegdjsyVU

Canadians:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaC-w2dIxZc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2r3C0PJ1LM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_S9P1kMNuM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxSmk...elated&search=


British:
Really intense fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FcXWZ0XVuw
A desert rat esque patrol gets involved in a rather heavy exchange of fire with some well dug-in Taliban. You can even hear bullets literally zip by the camera:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhL6iPuAv10

[kawaiku]

A series of videos from a documentary on the British fighting the Taliban:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTip_...elated&search=
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hOaS...elated&search=
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQuiV...elated&search=
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQS8l...elated&search=

[kawaiku]

Some news from Afghanistan:
This link is about the Herat Province which borders Iran:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6606535.stm
These two are from Helmand and talk about Operation Silicon which seems to be doing very well:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6607211.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6606541.stm

Seems like the Taliban are trying to take control of the Poppies industry for funding themselves as it seems these two areas are seeing heavy fighting. It's just an assumption, but seeing as whatever the drug that is made from Poppies is one of their top exports, it would make some sense as to why they might want to keep control of them.