Two news stories published in the last 24 hours include new revelations about the battle in Sangin, Afghanistan, where Marines remain in hotly contested combat. First, the BBC reports that the Taliban kidnapped and beat an Afghan village elder who helped broker the widely reported peace agreement between Marines and the Alikozai tribe, which spans multiple villages in Sangin district. Sayed Badar Agha was beaten after leading a group of 40 elders in negotiations that concluded with seven tribal elders signing the agreement, the BBC said. The BBC also reports that Taliban kingpen Mullah Omar reportedly ordered the killing of all…
Browsing: 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
The Marines of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion are expected to return this week from Afghanistan to Camp Pendleton, Calif., after a seven-month deployment. They were replaced during a relief in place ceremony at Camp Leatherneck last week with 2nd Recon, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. First Recon deployed in the spring, and was quickly dispatched to areas surrounding the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah. They eventually also played a role in Sangin, where Marines have faced a tough fight in the last few months. At the time, Marjah district was likely the most dangerous place in Helmand province for Marines, and…
It’s late in the week, and we can all use a little motivation. So, why not draw attention to a series of photos released by the Marine Corps this week of Marines with Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, leaping from a C-130 plane over Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan? The jumps were part of an operation designed to sharpen parachuting, reconnaissance patrolling and maintenance of parachute insert proficiency, Marine officials said.
On Wednesday, the name of the U.S. military’s mission in Iraq will change, with the venerable “Operation Iraqi Freedom” moniker turned in for a new one, “Operation New Dawn.” The transition was announced in February, and takes effect as U.S. officials seek to highlight the improvements in Iraq. President Barack Obama is expected to address the nation tonight at 8 p.m., and will no doubt reference the new name as he seeks to reassure Americans that the U.S. has turned a page in the war in Iraq. As Operation New Dawn comes to the forefront, however, there’s a catch: Another Operation New Dawn…
First Reconnaissance Battalion is on its way to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, and the 1,000 Marines will soon be joining the fight in Marjah. The battalion’s area of operations will include the Sistani Desert, to Marjah’s west, and Trek Nawa, to Marjah’s east. For more information check out this story by Marine Corps Times Staff Writer Dan Lamothe, who spoke with Brig. Gen. Joseph Osterman, commander of 1st Marine Division (Forward) at Leatherneck.
