McALESTER — More than 600 soldiers, including several Oklahoma National Guard troops, recently made another big push to secure the Laghman Province’s Sangar Valley. The troops were tasked with locating insurgents, weapons caches, and material used to make homemade explosives.
The successful joint operation included soldiers from 1st Brigade, 201st Corp, Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
While U.S. and Afghan forces faced some resistance in the mountains surrounding the Sangar Valley, no friendly forces were injured during the engagements with the enemy.
Part of the mission was to demonstrate to the Afghan population the viability of the Afghan National Army.
“We are trying to disrupt insurgent activities in the Sangar Valley,” said Capt. Morgan Ashworth, commander of Company C., 1st Battalion, 179 Infantry, a 45th IBCT unit, based in Edmond, Okla. “The ANA is increasing their interaction with the people, showing the people that their forces can protect them and they know how to conduct large scale operations like these against their enemies.” To help secure the confidence of villagers in the valley, an Afghan led patrol base was set up nearby to provide a quicker response to insurgent activity.
The combined effort to protect the local citizenry seems to be paying off. Crowds of men and children watched from their rooftops and lined the streets during the most recent mission. They greeted both Afghan and American Soldiers with handshakes and smiles.
In the mostly peaceful villages of Sangar, soldiers searched houses, businesses and fields.
During the search, the villagers were grateful and spoke to the soldiers, even offering them food as they passed through.
Many of them were children cheering and holding their thumbs up as soldiers passed by.
“We are all out visiting with you,” said a local villager while talking to soldiers. “We like you guys. If we didn’t like you we would all leave.”
In addition to solidifying the relationships with the villagers, Afghan and U.S. soldiers found a house set up to make improvised explosive devices. Several AK 47s, ammunition, knives and some bomb-making materials were also located.
“I am hoping this mission will help free the local population from insurgent control,” said Ashworth. “The Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are here willing to take an active role in their safety and security.”
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