By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GHAZNI, Afghanistan — Coalition forces serving in the Andar District of Ghazni Province dealt Taliban and foreign fighters a string of sharp defeats as the main effort of Operation Mountain Fury continued.
Afghan National Army soldiers from the 203rd ANA Corps, along with Connecticut National Guardsmen from Task Force Iron Gray, scattered militants operating in Andar, inflicting heavy casualties along the way as coalition forces progressed through Ghazni Province.
Infantrymen and field artillerymen from Task Force Spartan fought alongside the Iron Grays and ANA “Thunder Corps” soldiers in the joint, combined operation.
“We’ve defeated several enemy cells,” said U.S. Army Maj. Todd Reichert, the Task Force Spartan intelligence officer. “The enemy has to react to American and Afghan forces of an extent he hasn’t seen before.” {Click on photo for details}
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“I think we have the initiative,” added Army Lt. Col. Todd Brown, a foreign area officer attached to the Spartan staff. “The enemy is being forced to react to our actions on the battlefield.”
As allied soldiers pressed their advantage in Andar, several militant cells gave way. Large swaths of southern and central Ghazni Province, described as ungovernable as recently as late August, embraced the allies and the reemerging provincial government.
Task Force Iron Gray’s Command Sgt. Maj. David Warner attributed the Taliban’s relative strength in Ghazni Province to its intimidation of poor, isolated and often uneducated farmers, ranchers and shepherds.
“When the Taliban comes in with AK-47s and demands rice and water, who are they to say no?” Warner asked rhetorically.
“If the government were stronger in these remote areas, the Taliban wouldn’t come and wouldn’t find themselves welcome if they did. That’s why we’re working to strengthen the local government.”
The sergeant major expressed confidence in the skill, tenacity and iron resolve of his Connecticut Guardsmen.
“When Task Force Iron Gray confronts the enemy we carry the battle,” he said flatly. “The hard part is bringing (enemy fighters) to battle. They usually flee to another area.”
U.S. Army Col. John Nicholson, the Task Force Spartan commander, praised the courage and determination of his soldiers and Afghan National Army colleagues. He also cast doubt on the strength and popularity of Taliban militants even in one of their putative heartlands.
“The Taliban fighters and their foreign supporters seem to fare a lot better against defenseless farmers and shepherds than they do against Afghan and American soldiers,” Nicholson said. “It would seem the militants down here ran into some guys they couldn’t bully.”
Nicholson said he “fully expects” the people of Ghazni Province to embrace the government of Afghanistan absent the threats of violence and expropriation.
“When given a chance to decide for themselves, the people of Andar and the whole province choose the government every time,” he said. “The popularity of the Taliban seems based mainly on night letters, explosives and AK-47s. I think the Afghan people see through the blatant fraud of ‘jihadists’ who murder good Muslims and finance their terror campaigns through drug money and extortion.”
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