GHAZNI PROVINCE - "We wanted to help the locals understand exactly what happened the week prior," said Army Lt. Col. Kenneth Primus, Ghazni PRT dep. cmdr. "The VMO was turning out to be a really big success until we started receiving fire.
It was important that they understood we were the target, not them," said Primus. "The best way for us to protect the civilians at that time was to leave the area and not draw any more fire. We're working with the elders and the ANP on a plan to provide further medical treatment, without endangering the very people we're here to help."
"Slemanji is surrounded by unfriendly villages," said Primus. "The people have not been able to get to the nearby clinics to take care of any basic needs. Insurgents are constantly trying to intimidate them, so as villagers attempt to travel along the roads to go shopping in Ghazni city, or go to medical clinics, they are being pulled over in their vehicles and beaten or kidnapped. It's a Pashtu village that has decided to side with the govt. They fought to get and keep an ANP checkpoint there."
To provide security for the area, ANP and PRT SECFOR members watched over those conducting atmospherics in the bazaar. "While we were securing the area, I talked to one of the ANP who was there last week," said Staff Sgt. Donny Ottaway, SECFOR member assigned to the PRT. "I explained to him why we couldn't stay and fight; he said he understood. It was a good 'Joe to Joe' kind of talk."
As the team returned to their vehicles, the village was hit again by mortars, RPGs and small arms fire. No longer impeded by crowds of innocent civilians, the PRT stayed to fight. After a 30-minute exchange of small arms fire, 2 F-15's arrived on the scene to provide close air support. Led by dismounted Afghan police, the PRT maneuvered 2 gun trucks against the enemy positions driving them from the field.
When the PRT was preparing to leave the area, the ANP shook their hands and gave high-fives to the SECFOR members. "They were really excited about the F-15's that we called," said Ottoway.
Elders from the village also expressed concerns regarding craters along the road connecting Slemanji to the main highway. "The road to the highway is a paved road that allows people to get to Ghazni City, the clinics, and several other markets," said Primus. "There've been several IEDs planted along that highway, which created the craters and destroyed the culverts."
The damage to the road adds to the difficulties for travel in and out of the area, limiting the amount of supplies brought into the village. Plans are being made to repair the road before winter when contractors will be unable to work on them.
