C a m pa i g n s a n d B at t l e s
C a m pa i g n s a n d B at t l e s
following months of fierce Taliban attacks, an impasse had been reached and a truce was brokered by the District Elders, under which both the British and Taliban forces agreed to withdraw from the District Centre. However, within three months the Taliban were back, citing a US airstrike as a violation of the original agreement. Radical Islamic rule was established and the town became a stronghold of insurgent activity. As a result of the US Army surge, operational responsibility for Musa Qal’eh was transferred to US Marines in March 2010. 2 YORKS deployed on Op HERRICK 7, taking over from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards on 21st September, 2007, in the mentoring and liaison role, guiding the Afghan National Army (ANA) units of the 3rd Brigade, working out of Camp Shorabak and deploying with the Kandaks (battalions) within their battalion areas of Gereshk, Sangin and Musa Qal’eh. By December plans were well advanced for a multi-national operation, Op Mar Karadad, to liberate Musa Qal’eh from the Taleban and protect Mullah Salaam’s village. Mullah Salaam had been a Taliban commander but was now the District Governor and leader of a tribal uprising against the Taliban. On 2nd December, Royal Marine Commandos crossed the Helmand River and created a block to the south of Musa Qal’eh; on 5th December the Household Cavalry BG established the northern block and the Afghan militia set up a cordon round the eastern perimeter. On 7th December, 2 YORKS led their ANA Brigade (less one battalion) in a feint attack from the South West, to convince the Taleban that the main attack was coming up the Musa Qal’eh Wadi, while the main assault by US Task Force 1 Fury landed by helicopter, surrounding the town in a pincer movement, supported by a veritable air armada, ranging from spy satellites, surveillance and electronic aircraft, bombers, strike fighters, UAVs, gunships and attack helicopters. On 11th December the ANA, led by 2 YORKS, linked up with the weary US paratroops and broke into the town centre, behind an RE mine clearance team and after a successful sweep and search of the compounds, on the 12th December, the flag was raised over the District Centre, under a desultory mortar attack. Within three weeks of the liberation of the town a new District Centre had been constructed and was the first purely ANA Area of Operations
(AO), mentored by A Coy 2 YORKS, in the country, with a large, white helium balloon floating gracefully over one of the newly constructed PBs. Altogether, twenty eight members of the Battalion were commended for their actions during the operation, including the awarding of one OBE, two Military Crosses, eleven Mentioned in Dispatches, two Queen’s Commendations for Valuable Service, eleven Joint Commander’s Commendations and one Commander British Forces Commendation. Two soldiers were killed and 15 were wounded in action.
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Musa Qal’eh Minaret The Silver Musa Qal’eh Minaret was commissioned by those Officers who served with the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment on Operation HERRICK 7. Their names are inscribed on the rear of the base. The piece of silver depicts the mosque that was so prevalent on the skyline of the town. It serves as a testament to the bravery of those troops from the Battalion who served on Operation HERRICK 7, and of the acts undertaken in Musa Qal’eh.
Helmand Operation DAAS 20th July 2012 During past operations in NES(S) and the rise and fall of the kinetic environment, the Insurgents’ ability to transport weapons and IEDs into the area became of great interest to ISAF. Once enough information had been gathered about these supply routes 3 YORKS aimed to strike the Insurgents where it would most hurt them, in an area they felt safe and where they believed they could readily move and store munitions, weapons and other equipment to be used against us.
3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment Once the target village was found the challenge was obvious; with irrigation ditches criss-crossing the area affecting movement and the obvious threat of IEDs protecting such a valuable location, the Battlegroup called 269
