Photo By Cpl. Clayton Vonderahe | JAHAZI, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Marines and sailors with...... read more read more
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JAHAZI, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - The desolate and lawless conditions of Jahazi have made it a hot spot for insurgents to stop traffic and "tax" travelers as they pass through the area. In effect, the cost of living in neighboring areas has been driven to heights that have begun to alter the day-to-day life of local citizens in surrounding areas.
Marines with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, established a patrol base in Jahazi, April 22. The patrol base will help combat the insurgency’s activity and put a halt to the illegal taxation of commerce.
“The intent is to open up all the roads,” said Capt. Christopher Timms from Wilmington N.C., the Police Advisory Team officer-in charge. 3rd Bn., 2nd Marines. “The Taliban have been setting up check points in Jahazi to halt all the traffic, especially all the goods heading into Now Zad, so all the bazaars are empty.”
“We are basically the first guys [Marines] to be here,” said Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Leite from Hudson, Mass., a rifleman with the company. “We’re making a new patrol base, and I think I can speak for everybody when I say that we’re really happy to do this. It will make a big difference in the lives of some of the Afghan [citizens].”
The company left in the early morning of April 21, and endured a long, slow-paced drive from Forward Operating Base Cafferetta, located in the city of Now Zad. The road was swept for improvised explosive devices as the convoy passed over the rarely traveled terrain.
Engineers labored with the construction of the base while the Police Advisory Team, along with the AUP, conducted a foot patrol through the city. They established contact with the residents and warded off any insurgent presence hiding in the area.
“Our hope is to extend Now Zad’s security bubble,” said Timms. The security bubble is an area in which there is diminished threat of insurgent activity due to the presence of Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces. “The police are doing an outstanding job in Now Zad. They are the reason that we have such good security.”
The expansion of the security bubble allows for Jahazi and Now Zad to develop into more governable areas by freeing their roads of insurgents and providing protection from the mafia tactics used by the insurgency.
“It has been a long time since the Marines have been down here so we wanted to build our understanding of our new area of operations,” said Timms. “It was not surprising that most of the residents have moved out. They have moved to [sub sections] of Jahazi. With the poor condition of the town and the fact that their karez [an underground water source] dried up, it didn’t strike me as unexpected.”
The AUP tenaciously engaged in several fire fights throughout the construction of the base. Though the sounds of combat echoed through the area, there were no casualties taken by the coalition forces.
The Marines worked through the night, determined to get the base established as quickly as possible. Around sunrise the next morning, the walls were completed and the base was functional.
The base was named Patrol Base Rogers, after a Marine from the battalion who had fallen in combat while trying to save two other Marines earlier in the deployment.
Patrol Base Rogers will be manned by Marines with the Police Advisory Team and a small element of Afghan police.
The presence of the base should, in time, help stimulate the growth of Jahazi and Now Zad. The security provided will create safer passage for travelers and commerce distribution through Jahazi, and help the development of Jahazi and neighboring areas.
“The purpose of today’s operation was to prove to the people of Now Zad that the ANA [Afghan Nation Army], the AUP and the Marines all work together to constantly improve the security.” Timms said about the base construction.
EDITORS NOTE: 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment is assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, Task Force Leatherneck, in Southwest Afghanistan. The task force, headed by 2nd Marine Division (Forward), is the ground combat element for Regional Command Southwest and is working in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2011 01:37 |
| Story ID: | 69957 |
| Location: | JAHAZI, HELMAND PROVINCE, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN, AF |
| Web Views: | 249 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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