UK troops continue mentoring and support role in Iraq

Led by the Iraqi Army, the Coastal Border Guards, the Department of Border Enforcement and Police, and supported by British troops who continue to carry out a vital mentoring and support role, a series of co-ordinated patrols and operations have taken place which have dealt a considerable blow to criminal gangs operating in southern Iraq.

One recent operation, targeted at smugglers operating on the Shatt al Arab Waterway, brought success with a number of smugglers' barges intercepted as they attempted to transport arms and munitions. Operation Bahaar Laien (Sea Lion) involved soldiers from 14th Iraqi Army Division supported by troops from Spearhead Platoon 1st Duke of Lancaster's Battle Group.

See Related Links>>> for more pictures of Spearhead Platoon on operations with the Iraqi Army in southern Iraq.

The smugglers use armoured barges and are equipped with heavy machine guns as well as small arms. Their illegal cargo generally consists of stolen or exported cars which have been moved by ship from other countries. Smuggling is also one of the ways that has been used to get the munitions known as 'lethal aid' into Iraq, weaponry which is then used against Iraqi and Coalition forces. The request for British support to the operation was made by General Mohan of the Iraqi Army who is the security commander in Basra Province.

During the operation four large barges carrying what transpired to be 60 cars were discovered on the water. Each barge was armed and the fleet was accompanied by an armoured gunboat barge equipped with heavy machine guns. The smugglers made their journey up the Waterway believing that Iraqi Army resistance would be light.

However, the smugglers were soon proved wrong and, as they entered Iraqi waters, soldiers positioned in an Iraqi Border Fort opened fire as they moved by. The next obstacle for the smugglers was to pass by the Iraqi Army position located on the island of Al Rusus. It was here, a little further up the river, that British troops had reinforced their Iraqi Army counterparts.

They soon found themselves in the thick of the battle as a number of heavily armed men, secretly put in position by the smugglers, opened fire on them. As the barges made their run the smugglers on board, and those on the far shore, raked the Iraqi and British positions with a fusillade of heavy and intense machine gun fire.

The Iraqi Army returned fire first, engaging the leading barges with their heavy machine gun and rocket propelled grenades. To help the Iraqis, Spearhead Platoon turned their attention to the armed men on the far bank with machine gun and sniper fire. A sharp and intense exchange of fire continued with the leading group of three barges disabled by accurate Iraqi Army rocket propelled grenade fire. The barges began drifting towards the south shore with the ammunition on board exploding and causing a huge fire. The crew continued to fight but were cut down by accurate Iraqi and British fire.

Corporal John Thompson from Spearhead Platoon was one of those involved in the fierce firefight, launching a javelin anti-tank missile at the armoured barge. Speaking about the contact Cpl Thompson said:

"They were engaging us with accurate heavy machine gun fire and we needed to sort it before we started to take casualties."

With the firefight over the Iraqi soldiers and Coastal Border Guard initiated a follow up. Spearhead Platoon extracted from the area but remained ready to support just in case they were required.

Lieutenant Colonel Gary Deakin, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Battle Group (1 LANCS BG), said:

"The operation was about supporting the Iraqi Security Forces; it is their success, not ours. They fought a tough fight and just needed a little extra support, both moral and physical to finish the job. Lieutenant Colonel Haydar, the commanding officer of the Iraqi Battalion, personally thanked me for our support. They are a very capable lot. That is our job now and we are glad to be there to help."

Meanwhile another Company of men from the 1 LANCS BG supported Iraqi Forces as they conducted operations around the port of Umm Qasr, where smuggling and corruption are major factors in preventing the area’s economic redevelopment.

In addition, soldiers from the Scots Guards Battle Group deployed to the Shatt al Arab Waterway, conducting training with the Department of Border Enforcement and the Iraqi Army, after which they launched a programme of vehicle check points and searches, supported by British Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles.