A Battlefield Tourist

Brits Take Key Taleb Positions in December Offensive

Jan 4 at 12:12pm by David Tate

Details are just surfacing regarding a major coalition pre-Christmas offensive, led by the British, to take areas close to Helmand’s provincial capital long controlled by the Taliban. The three week long battle, which culminated Christmas Day, targeted four heavily defended positions in Nad-e-Ali, which lies just northwest of Lashkar Gah and to the southwest of Greshk and Highway 1.

According to at least three reports, the offensive codenamed, “Sond Chara”, began December 7 involving more than 1,500 coalition troops and was one of the largest operations launched by Royal Marines since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.  Danish, Estonian and Afghan troops were also involved.

Emerging details tell of pitched close quarter fire fights in ankle deep mud, that in some cases, dragged out over 60km.

Capt. Dave Glendenning, commander of the marines’ artillery support team, said: “Almost every day we were involved in intense fire-fights ranging from rocket-propelled grenades and small arms ’shoot-and-scoots’ to four-hour battles with the enemy forces as close as 30 metres.”

The fighting has left at least five British troops dead, two who died in pre-operation intelligence gathering.

The primary mission of the operation was to secure enemy saturated areas close to the capital in preparation for upcoming voter registration drives.

The men killed in the offensive, according to the BBC, are Australian national Rifleman Stuart Nash, 21; Cpl Robert Deering, 33, from Solihull in the West Midlands; L/Cpl Ben Whatley, 20, of Tittleshall, Norfolk; and Marines Tony Evans, 20, from Sunderland, and Georgie Sparks, 19, from Epping.

The Taliban suffered more than a hundred killed, including a top commander for the area.

Offensive Timeline

Dec 7 – Night time assault on Taliban positions in a village south of Nad-e-Ali.  Troops encountered heavy rocket and small arms fire.  Led by Danish Leopard tanks, the Taliban were quickly routed. 

Dec 8-10 – Offensive put on hold in observance of Eid al-Ahda.

Dec 11 – Marines take key Taliban base in Nad-e-Ali.  Shin Kalay, north of Lashkar Gah, also captured by British and Afghan forces.

Dec 12-18 – Taliban counter attack; Marines involved in near trench warfare as they push back Taliban fighters allowing Royal Engineers to build a Patrol Base (PB).

Dec 17-19 – Battle of Zarghun Kalay, described as the most “ferocious” fighting.  Here Marines trekked some 60km, through deep mud, before assaulting the town which involved “360 degree hand-to-hand combat” against an entrenched enemy.

Dec 24 – Air assault on Chah-e-Najir, Taliban command post captured.

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