IN PICTURES: Black Watch conduct first major Afghan operation
1 May 09
Soldiers from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), have completed their first major operation since taking over in Afghanistan as the Regional Battle Group (South).
A CH-47 Chinook taking off just outside the Forward Operating Base after a resupply
[Picture: Sgt Chris Halton RLC]
Last week (21-25 April 2009), soldiers from the unit set out on a five-day mission called Operation SARAK 1 - which means 'road' in Pashtu - to improve security on the road through the area of Maywand in Kandahar province.
It was the first operation involving the whole 525-strong Battle Group and they were joined by a rifle company of the Afghan National Army.
The operation was carried out in a number of phases, starting with an air assault, as three waves of four UK Chinook and two US Marine Sea Stallion helicopters dropped the soldiers in Maywand.
As they were dropped, UK Apache and US Cobra attack helicopters provided cover from the air. A troop of Royal Marine Viking armoured vehicles and a platoon of soldiers specialising in mortar fire were also on standby to provide additional support if needed.
A soldier from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, receiving further information
[Picture: Sgt Chris Halton RLC]
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Cartwright, the Commanding Officer of 3 SCOTS, said:
"This was our first Battle Group-size operation since the battalion was in Iraq five years ago.
"On this occasion the operation passed without major incident, with a few small finds of insurgent ordnance and parts of improvised explosive devices. There were no engagements with insurgents themselves and we conducted a number of shuras with local elders.
"The Afghan people in the area were pleased to see the Afghan National Army being supported by ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] forces in this remote area."
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Soldiers of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, on Operation SARAK 1 in the region of Maywand, Afghanistan
[Picture: Sgt Chris Halton RLC]
The 3 SCOTS Battle Group had already conducted a smaller operation within days of its arrival when Alpha (Grenadier) Company spent 36 hours on an operation after being dropped by helicopter onto a well-known Taliban supply route.
The operation netted Taliban anti-personnel mines and mortar and rocket-propelled grenades which were destroyed in a controlled explosion by the Royal Engineer troop.
For their deployment in Afghanistan 3 SCOTS will be based within Camp Roberts in Kandahar Airfield and will work directly to the Dutch-led divisional headquarters known as Regional Command (South), part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force.
Kandahar is home to the forces of seven nationalities within the ISAF coalition and contains a huge array of supporting equipment.