Subscribe
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan citizens fought off an unprovoked insurgent attack in Parmakan village, Shindand District, Herat province May 8.
A large group of insurgents surrounded villagers who were guarding the community, in an attempt to intimidate the villagers and threaten their families with violence. When the village defenders refused to give in to their demands the insurgents opened fire upon the guards and the surrounding community with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. Several civilians were killed and one villager was injured by the gunfire. During the fighting several insurgents were killed.
As the Afghan citizens continued to defend themselves by returning fire and out maneuvering the much larger group of approximately 20 insurgents, village leaders requested assistance from a nearby Afghan commando unit and its partnered U. S. Special Operation Forces.
When the commandos and USSOF arrived to assist the villagers, they were engaged by insurgents firing small arms from four cars and a motorcycle. Together, the Afghan citizens and the combined force engaged the insurgents, killing several, while medical personnel treated the injured citizens and provided transportation to local medical facilities for further treatment and evaluation.
The remaining insurgents fled, hiding in the local community. A village patrol searched the area to expel remaining insurgents and discovered several residents were killed by insurgents.
In response to the insurgent attack, local, district and provincial leaders have joined with Afghan national security forces, assisted by USSOF, to protect their community from further violence, increase security in the area and expand economic development in the Shindand District.
"The defense of the village by local citizens' marks a turn in the establishment of support by the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for self-governance," said Capt. Rebecca Lykins, a spokesperson for the Combined Joint Special Operation Task Force-Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2010 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 49370 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 265 |
| Downloads: | 242 |
This work, Villagers defend themselves against insurgents in Herat, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
