Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan: Episode 4 - Kill or Capture

[Applause] [Music] for the last three months the Royal Marines of L company have been beating back the Taliban the commandos have been taking some heavy casualties as they've battled to flush out the Taliban from this village and then keep the milk joy manda was a Taliban stronghold for years even though it now lies deserted and in ruins the insurgents have not given up and are still doing all they can to take it back north I want to move now we're going to try and draw their fire without more I come and they're saying be careful all right anybody is P Aidid I want to take it out I know this I joined the Royal Marines as they seek out the Taliban on a kill or capture patrol and one of the most dangerous square- tell him to tell his friends the Taliban like they keep taking them men on and we will kill them right and if you pick up arms we will kill you as well [Music] Maranda used to be a very prosperous place major sheep market the hope is it will be again the first for people who fled the ordinary Afghans need to be persuaded to return taking ground as a matter of holding it has been of course not the face of the operation that we're in now we've taken the ground from the insurgents and now we're in the business of holding it the place needs reconstructed especially the old Bazaar area all of the band and chops once the beating heart of the village but above all the place needs security protection from Taliban attack the first thing to be built will be a military checkpoint a CP we've got some run-down buildings they're all gonna be flattened and we're gonna begin the construction of a SCP here we're seeking to ensure that the insurgents don't move back into this area don't receive any IEDs and that the contractors can come in and construct the rest of the clay so the shops and shoppings to me back in so this is the beginning of the real progress yeah this is definitely signs of progress now we're here the insurgents have left and we're clearing the ids and people are moving back into the area despite the place being in virtual ruins amongst them if you can see now everything has been damaged yes enemy because the fighting people just want to get on with their lives but the constant threat of a Taliban attack means they still can't the Taliban might have been flushed out of the village but they remain close by moving around the surrounding countryside so far have been based a mile to the south of my monitor and now I move in from checkpoint Toki to L company's main base and while to the east along the net canal it's only a few minutes by helicopter but given the ie D threat around here to go overland would be suicide checkpoints the Lang is built at a strategic bridging point on the canal the Marines go out on patrol everyday it's a dangerous area volatile and they are briefed accordingly okay the intent over the next few days and in particular tignous start with today is to start to take the fight to the insurgent last time patrol was in and around this area extremely bad atmospherics i will generate an accurate reporting that they were watching us if we do not clear this area and push them out of our AO right insurgent is going to remain in our area i and we're going to continue to come across yeah the old threat of the IE d on top of that all right okay i wanna i want to show this i want to give them a bloody nose i want to show what we're all about happy days everyone up for it all right synchronize watches five three two one mark six twenty right game pitch is on I'll see you in ten minutes we'll be led into the cauldron by top hunter the world marine for 15 years and the passion of Welshman gather now out here for months before that we were sort of moved in a team for 12 months back in the UK absolutely they're on top of the game I don't allow them to become complacent that happens then they get my boot up their ass so yeah absolutely I believe a believer or even every single talk to the last man yeah absolutely okay while staff prepares his patrol fresh centuries from the checkpoint or off to take their positions on the canal bridge oh is this scorching heat Kirsty is one of the increasing number of women serving the frontline troops our job today is to search everyone crossing the bridge so thirsty how come you've ended up on the frontline in Afghanistan well the need of their volunteers for the Female Engagement Team and I was stupid enough to put me down for it and yeah here right I've know in Afghanistan come from Sunderland I'm in am the Royal Navy is a marine engineer so this is totally out of my comfort zone firstly hardly would be normally react to you when you want to service them it depends some of them quite touchy like sometimes they leave a lot for cry at yeah so you're just gonna like it's better if you have a Turkish to tell them right it calm down and stuff but obviously when we haven't got a turtle I'm just gonna try and like to see it all cared what we're talking and just search them is that your woman have you come on this I'm your Serbia it's horrible experience yeah I think it's been about four times five times they'll come under fire and it's not very nice I kind of just like hit the deck and hide and just let the boys they all right so that's my kinda we were Taylor move it it's been the hardest trollin as well as getting respect from the boys because obviously the Marines at the end of the day and they used to working with just boys so I think it's a bit hard for them when a girl comes into the situation yeah definitely definitely yeah just mix it in just beating yourself doing exactly what they're doing in the ground like patrol and everyday like they do and just being exactly like them and that's how you gain respect from them I think really how do I take it the half quite a bit right obviously because I'm a girl and I think it hits me quite hard if I find out like one of the boys who I've worked with has actually died but I think the boys kind of they kind of keep strong fierce on the boys because the Marines and the trend to do what they're trying to do but when something happens I'm just after emotional wreck it's not very nice at all and then you've got to kind of think yeah right I'm still here I've still got three months to do just crack on and then when I get back home that's when you start thinking about I don't wanna take any unnecessary risk or we've got to fight these [ __ ] no one adore our emotions to run away with us [ __ ] you don't [ __ ] through her back a hospital I sort himself out we've got lost Dino yeah lesson so this is an opportunity for us to show them that we're not to be [ __ ] [ __ ] with all right we get the opportunity to [ __ ] take them out we'll bring them back here so they can be exploited and that's what I want to do all right but I need every single one of you with Eugene Pierce on happy they stop it the Sun is now high in the sky it's going to be hot out there in more ways than one I'm on a Royal Marine with kill or capture patrol heading into known Taliban territory patrol starts I think long live the canal and making away water good for compounds that the insurgents have been provoking for - commander on the radio saying that quick him anywhere near this particular area they'll attack so this is basically in the test test their metal Marines today won't be frightened of stirring up a hornet's nest but this is a case of taking the fight to the insurgency another implication that there on the back foot will see today all around us the aftermath of mind strikes bits of old burnt-out vehicles bomb crater am i intentional that coming weeks is to keep pushing it see if they take a song we can't make this place safer for the people unless we clear the Taliban out so that's my main aim about to break track now come off the main highway only and head south into the badlands already been in the Couture now they've seen the virtual okay as soon as we turn inland from the NEB canal our interpreter monitoring Taliban radio frequencies reports that they're watching us [Laughter] the Marines came with the intention of provoking the Taliban and already that's exactly what's happened my hunch is on both sides [Music] [Laughter] to avoid roads and paths we divert through a maze field for cover is absolutely the last place on the more favored spender than 20 [ __ ] degrees in here but in these and they failed but it's twice as hot as it is outside it's enclosed in here and it's absolutely unspeakably hard sweltering this is the nature of the operation then Afghanistan during the summer I'm sorry these young lads must think suddenly out of nowhere no trip with Royal Marine Commandos in village out over an ice field suppose the Easter burner but not everyone conceals their contempt for us [Laughter] we head towards the first of several suspect compounds known to be used by the can we come across some locals who need to be chained round here anybody could be Taliban or spires to the Taliban [Music] so which compote is you come from again his noises good cutting grass if anybody's children if he's working in these fields will Evan go on with his work compound the compound owner is not in the lads gonna conduct a search anyway but we've generated or fish but if I come get the big thing which generally means prestige weapon RPG so potentially it might decide to take assault so we'll see if they come on to play RPG rocket propelled grenade or it could be a mortar or an AED whatever the weapons the Taliban or threatening an ambush it's now mid day it's got to be set up pushing 50 degrees three total sent over which will tell what you lost oh yeah it's just certainly a little bit warmer than Wales yeah but it give to be antenna me joking the big thing ready me rocks be ready should be hello mini books so it's a little mini blocks just call him any books I come head 21550 just call it any bugs to come to his location or because I want this alleyway covered all right come in okay don't suddenly young men start arriving fighting age males tell him I know they're Taliban in the area because they've seen us and they're calling more fighters in the area into this area and it's unusual and all these men are cheering up they'll a Taliban they don't tell me where they are I'm gonna detain all of them and take him back to the CP the question I must stand on everybody this Italian ester they can see us so I want to know where they are one detaining all of you take back the CP I'm a bastard is most Ramos DiPaolo you see the Taliban were smaller than the hydrogen valid but tear gas they chopped up a rural ok challenge warfarin or I want to know where the Taliban are now I'm gonna detain all of you and take you in for questioning get him don't tell him to sit they're not going anywhere sitrep is we've had more icon that they're very course honest they've called for numerous fighters to join we're in the way surrounded by large compound walls so clearly unless they fire over the wall young men [Laughter] the weapons to the shoulder if anything is seen a warning shot it's very threatening to know the Taliban are watching our every move and from very close by but they can see how well-armed we are so will they take a zone that's the question tell him tell him to tell his friends the Taliban all right they keep taking my men and we will kill them we will kill you as well [Music] [Music] they're in the area here- we're gonna be moving on now right tell him if I get shorter or detain him tell him he's gonna take me to the next compound we must now head over open ground where we'll be the most vulnerable to attack dad is calling the Taliban love okay plan will be to move to the first compound north I want to move now we're gonna try and draw their fire we've had more I calm and they're saying be careful all right anybody is P Aidid or what I'm taking out okay just cut the pace in front the detainees are escorted on a safe route whilst we plunged into another bloody maze field even hotter than the first one the last of the suspect compounds is on our right if the Taliban are there and going to attack it will be now this is a case of who blinks first and Taff I now know it's not a blinking sort of obliphica we wait roasting in the enclosed heat of the field for half an hour though it feels like an eternity then we hear the voice of children a sure sign the Taliban have fled they blinked first this time all this chat about firing on us bringing us two men out there just to psych us out I believe it is I believe I mean in the past when they said they take us on they have done but I believe they're using it as a tactic here to stop us from going into the bed down locations so I'm gonna continue to push it we definitely call their bluff today never want to become complacent heading back we linked up with the detainees and meet a bevy of locals who want to know so our intent is first of all to bring security and to do that we have to keep the Taliban out what I need from the local people is if they see the Taliban they need to tell us because we will keep the village we see the Taliban in the village all right we will we will kill them all right we have trolling souls daily ok and it is our aim to keep the Taliban out of the village so that the people are safe right we realize that we've got more work to do ok but I promise them all right I promised them that we will keep eventually we will keep the Taliban and we will keep them up the village make it safe for their children to grow [Music] we head back with our detainees a seven-hour Patrol like this has been emotionally draining believe me all the time being told by the Taliban you're about to be shot at attacked blown up it's a constant high-pressure game of cat and mouse for security the detainees are blindfolded so they can't see inside the British base and then led away to be interviewed outstanding effort all around their eye everybody's giving me under 20% we've called the insurgents bluffer all right they can gobble off about tickle Assad we wicked in the area all right be crossed open ground after questioning the suspects were released later in the evening the daily grind of patrolling continues over the following weeks with the sole purpose of protecting the low magnitude Bazaar from Taliban attack IEDs are continually being unearthed at least two a day it's relentless work unremitting in the searing heat of an afghan sir [Music] after some weeks I'm returning to loin mandir itself it's only a short trip by road and it has to be in one of these the Mastiff personnel camera in case of IE d strikes and no sooner have we set off and we stopped this is afghanistan so nothing is ever straightforward so let's try they along the map and the lead vehicle the point vehicle versus some disturbance in the road ahead so we've stopped category chances could have seen it i evm last night when his belt buckles check so here there were little traveling about 30 kilometers could take a house before we reach our destination again this is the nature of life in as part of our province of man the ground side there and pretty much that there cinavia so big full of life full of the aggregate so good old paintbrush and just fingertip search all the way there once it's happy happy lifting there just give it the older I don't tread on it and these go over to get here then only responsible so hence the old want some happy let me see if it's once eventually we get going toward going under it's only a mile away it takes us an hour to get there but one mile an hour is quite fast enough over roads the Taliban keep mining half of LOI man there can't be lived in because it's still thick without he leads the Royal Engineers must slowly clearing compound by compound the old Bazaar area on the other hand was cleared of mind weeks ago when I was last here so I'm desperate to see what progress has been made with the shops and markets - right guys that same across the bridge tonight so we'll push eight I head out with the military stabilization Support Team months since I've lost at the Mandalay bazaar and they hope was that bazaar would be up and running sooner rather than later so I'll just come back if I know just what's going on with the bazaar well thoroughly cleared of IEDs but as a distinct absence of people shop they've been targeted on and still it goes down the shot up running you wouldn't expect this to happen this quickly in the UK so how people expect it to happen out here I don't know obviously it's quite frustrating but it will happen everything set in motion to bring this all back to life but I reckon next time I'm right here this again will be a thriving village okay so we push on okay guys no moving the biggest change I can see is this massive structure it's the new military checkpoint built by the Royal Engineers to be handed over to the local police we have temporary man in it right but assault within the next two to three weeks but the EMP will take over that checkpoint so then they've got eyes on they can do their business and we'll just pull out of that amount the two other ones on the edges and why he we were approached a couple of days ago by a couple of fans that want to move back into their compound and this compound right in front of us and the one right next to it we've pushed out without sin freedom of IEDs completely and we'll just waiting though for the local in move back in with this family in the evidence a reseeding again the local Nationals are telling us about to availability deal with them before they actually hit anyone because we go member what's quite cute is on one of the lines we sort of sell is we're trying to give you security but still if you're still delays Taliban all they'll do is take over your compound which is fine I think we say it's fact they tucked you in whatever you would we don't talk to you a penny we don't ask you for the penny which is here to help support you or more importantly to help you to help yourselves yeah just will you see fit mate have you received incoming from the barrel really about week 10 days ago shutters obviously burn a ton fire any God amongst it as well listen run a week so am i think that was just-- - sure is that they were still around about the one-track tick is on really because the manpower we take on the ground a little bit of beat is in a fight after passing a couple of hundred meters of abandoned and deserted compounds we come to the area of the village to which people have begun to return world naval officer Bern Nicholson is fluent in with the locals they even have a special name means Alexander the great son of the insurgents since we came here they're afraid of us so they're not they're not here anymore and the I think our presence on the ground is making them think twice about coming back here and the more that people can believe in us and believe in what we're saying and the more confidence they have and we can get schools built and other things built and they realize that you can't build a state and can't build a future on an agriculture alone you've got to bring in education we've got to build the foundations by educating the kids and they don't they know that and they want it but it's just how we how we do it springing up in the back street a few budding storms which in time will hopefully be transplanted to the bizarre just push off to the side and there's an unmistakable energy about the place this is what it's like generally he's a cobbler these asses can you have a shop we've got his details a goddess named Suzy shops ready he's gone to the shop she's a local you just let them know and let so many people know that the Javan given us some food bags of ice and cooking oils to give them for the end of our foods and what they needed Security's improving but it's when unknown people when strangers come here and they they lay mines and that's when the situation gets worse and things things get bad for them yeah we all see we clearly we understand that and it would be a lot easier if Taliban put a uniform on and give us a fair fight but like I said before we're trying provide security but not make you feel a living in a prison [Music] this is the biggest shop in the village [Music] but you want to buy a pesto military equipment is always a popular commodity and clearly there's an Arthur daily or Dell boy in every culture everything you've got in your body um what we'll do all I can give you now is a hunt fit yourself people you know you'd have to pull banging doors again to come out just to talk to you but know the cost won't you quick enough but I know I'm naive enough one of these could be just some information well these could be just go up with us but we're showing them we're confident when we were Lux of course as you see the weapon systems never come good carrying anything that deal with however I'm a happy mind every time we go back in and don't use them okay so next right mate as welcome as we're made to feel we still can't proceed without great care the last time I came down this street a local had to guide us around to the village war-torn and for a long time deserted was considered dead but now three months since the Taliban were flushed out I find it has a heartbeat once again it's I just said a few months ago you couldn't add rent I've seen this many people about well as you can see we've got the hearts and minds of the population certainly half they sit let's start building on it but let's not rush it do it all for them because they won't achieve anything in the long run let's say look the guy said themself it's a chilling fact of this war in some 80,000 Afghans have now lost limbs to IEDs use a new form with this guy which has been forgotten but we all know he is we've been watching the Defense School of Languages and Bekins field did the 30 month course in the classroom is completely different from what you learn here so it's a very you need to spend a lot of time on the ground getting used to people I mean my push to is imperfect but message across and the longer you spend here the better you understand people even from Afghanistan people think that I'm an Afghan and they think I'm almost a Muslim too so they almost accept you because you speak the language that you are from here so it's a good way to build the relationships and build the bonds that will hopefully make the insurgency here stop and build that trust between the uniform and the local population [Music] are you confident that Afghanistan will get on its own two feet eventually and some semblance of will as far as I'm concerned as long as once we provide the local communities are feeding themselves looking after themselves for me that's all I care about bigger picture the politics I'm very fortunate that I don't have to be involved in that I've Betty little ever looking for more village soldering I do because my last tour come on officer was killed we lost a country command epitome commander lost a couple of people closely with my own company and young Guardsmen and I'm not men made a lot of big sacrifices without caring all dwarf story had supped be over it cut it back here no justifies a little bit well they give their life for but I've been lucky enough to come back to the same spot with my guys lost their light to do you see where we don't know so if things a bit that justification it means to an end you know I feel yeah it was what's the officials guys still alive but it was we didn't we didn't piss on the win for no reason next time the Marines joined forces with the Afghan National Army and police together they launched an airborne operation into the Taliban Badlands north of the NEB canal [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

Channel: Royal Marines

Views: 574,466

Rating: 4.7710152 out of 5

Keywords: Royal, Marine, Marines, Commando, Commandos, Mission, Afghanistan, Green, Beret, Berets, Military, Royal Navy (Armed Force), Royal Marines (Armed Force), Chris, Terrill, USMC

Id: dVOVf1TaHYk

Length: 45min 1sec (2701 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 09 2012