The Australian Army at War 1976–2016 by Leigh Neville & Peter Dennis

Author:Leigh Neville & Peter Dennis
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472826312
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

Snipers from 3RAR showing (right) the .50cal Accuracy International AW50F; this soldier also carries a slung F88 GLA. Partly visible is the foreground man’s .338in Lapua Magnum Blaser Tactical 2, as originally purchased for SOF but later adopted by the infantry battalions; its straight-pull bolt action allows fast follow-on shots. Snipers also have available the 7.62x51mm bolt-action SR98, and the 7.62x51mm SR25 and HK417. (Courtesy Nathan Vinson)

Special Operations Task Group

Renamed the SOTG, Australian SOF also maintained a rotational presence in Afghanistan until the end of 2013, hunting insurgent leaders and bomb-makers. Their operations saw an SASR contingent along with a company group from either 1 or 2CDO, supported by the specialists of the Special Operations Engineer Regt (formerly the Incident Response Regt), conducting missions for both the national command and ISAF.4 An SASR commander commented in 2013 on their success in whittling down the opposing command structure: ‘In 2002, when I was there, we were fighting some very senior Taliban leaders. We’re now fighting some very junior Taliban leaders.’

Perhaps their most celebrated operation was the battle of Shah Wali Kot (or Tizak). Both the 2 Commando element and E Troop from 2 Sqn, SASR were recognized with an official battle honour, the Army’s first since Vietnam, for their efforts in targeting Taliban high-value targets. The citation is worth quoting at length, as it provides a gripping insight into the types of operations the SOTG were conducting:

‘During the early hours of 10 June 2010, immediately realising a tactical opportunity, Alpha Company Commando Group audaciously established an attack by fire position inside the insurgents’ stronghold of Chenartu. Shortly after first light, the enemy surrounded the commandos and employed sophisticated tactics in an attempt to overrun the commando positions throughout the day. Holding their exposed positions doggedly under heavy and sustained attack, the commandos, determined to regain the initiative, launched several aggressive counterattacks against the assaulting enemy. Surprised by the ferocity of the commando response, combined with having lost significant numbers of fighters, the enemy withdrew to the village of Tizak to conduct deliberate planning for the destruction of the isolated commando company.

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