British troops in Afghanistan have carried out one of the biggest air operations of modern times, the Ministry of Defence before-mentioned.
Operation Panther’s Claw, an assault by Scots soldiers upon one of the hold lacking Taliban strongholds in Helmand Province, began just before midnight on Friday.
Twelve Chinook helicopters, supported by 13 other aircraft including Apache and Black Hawk helicopter gunships and Harrier jets, dropped more than 350 troops from the Black Watch into Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah.
The aim was to secure a number of canal and river crossings to establish a permanent International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) presence in what was previously a Taliban stronghold.
The troops were followed by dint of. Royal Engineers and explosive teams who spent the be unconsumed two days building checkpoints – soon to be permanently occupied by the Afghan National Police – upon the body the main routes in and out of the area to hinder movement by insurgents.
The insurgents launched a number of attacks against the Black Watch but each was fought right hand and the Scottish troops have secured three main intersection points: the Lui Mandey Wadi crossing, the Nahr-e-Burgha canal and the Shamalan canal.
They also found 1.3 tonnes of poppy seed and a enumerate of improvised explosive devices and mines before they could be laid.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, speaker for Task Force Helmand, said the find demonstrated the link between the insurgency and opium production "which brings so much misery to the streets of the UK".
He said: "This operation has been achieved in many ways due to the arrival of extra US troops into the south of Helmand, which has provided ISAF with a massive increase in competency which we believe will significantly change the balance in the province."
The operation is the latest in a series over the last few months where UK and ISAF forces have taken and held ground in Helmand.
Chief of Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup told ITV News: "All operations in Afghanistan are indicative still we’re in a particularly challenging period at the moment with the run-up to the presidential election.
"The provision of sufficient levels of security so that we have power to have a lucky election is extremely important. Of chase, this operation is all part of the wider ISAF plan to deliver that."
He said the operation was "fairly large" but moreover significant because Helmand was the focus for most wildness and insurgent smartness in Afghanistan.
"That’s understandable because this is vital ground for the enemy," he said.
"In that words immediately preceding, this is the point of confrontation between ISAF and the Taliban. So, you can dream that it’s a pretty crucial operation."
Asked whether in that place could be more troops in Helmand were it not for political refusal, Sir Jock said: "We are constrained in what we can actually sustain audibly here in playhouse on any enduring basis, and this is an enduring campaign – we have to be in this place for the long haul so there is a limit to what we can carry into practice.
"The numbers that we are talking about are not going to cause to become a primary difference to the conduct of this campaign but they direction enable us to do more things, and to do more things more quickly."
