HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan commandos from the 7th Special Operations Kandak killed nine insurgents during a mission to disrupt enemy activity Jan. 15-16 in Kajaki district’s Awdar Bazaar.
The bazaar is one of the Taliban’s many narcotics processing and smuggling centers in Helmand province, reported a commando. Insurgents use bazaar earnings to fund operations in the area, attacking Afghan forces throughout the province, he added.
As the commandos approached the bazaar, Taliban fighters attacked using rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine-gun and small-arms fire. The commandos responded and stopped the militants’ attack, killing the attackers in the process.
“The commandos are brave people and the Taliban know [it],” said Lt. Col. Mohammed Zeibiullah, 7th SOK Commander. “[The commandos are] professional and highly trained soldiers, and because of our training, we didn’t have any casualties.”
The commandos also uncovered and destroyed several large weapons caches in and around the bazaar. They found an anti-aircraft weapon system with several hundred rounds of ammunition, RPG launchers with grenades, assault rifles, suicide vests and more than 18 kilograms of unprocessed opium.
