Coldstream Guards and LIONS LEAP

Soldiers from Number 1 Company of the 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards have taken part in Operation LION'S LEAP around Kopak near Babaji, Afghanistan. The guards engaged in daily skirmishes with insurgents to the west of Babaji, but their dominance of the area was ensuring troops on the east side of the town have greater freedom of movement in which to begin the reconstruction and development effort, starting with a new school and road-build. Operation LION'S LEAP inserted troops by Chinook helicopter behind a key insurgent stronghold so that they could engage with local nationals in the area. Click here to read more. [Picture: Sergeant Keith Cotton RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
Coldstream Guards take LION'S LEAP to secure territory in Babaji

A Military Operations news article

4 Jan 10

British soldiers from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards are taking the fight to the Taliban daily to secure the western outskirts of Babaji in order to secure the area for reconstruction and deny the insurgents of local influence.

A sniper from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards watches for enemy activity during a patrol in Babaji district, Helmand
[Picture: Sergeant Keith Cotton RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Babaji is an area of Helmand province hard-won by International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops during Operation PANCHAI PALANG (PANTHER'S CLAW) in the summer of 2009.

To keep the area secure, Number 1 Company Group from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards engage in daily skirmishes with insurgents to the west of Babaji, but their dominance of the area is ensuring troops on the east side of the town have greater freedom of movement in which to begin the reconstruction and development effort, starting with a new school and road-build.

As part of the strategy Operation LION'S LEAP inserted troops by Chinook helicopter behind a key insurgent stronghold so that they could engage with local nationals in the area.

The villages patrolled have rarely been reached by ISAF troops in the past and British soldiers are keen to find out what the local Afghans need there, what their issues are, and how, as part of ISAF, the soldiers can help....

This a great article that has lots of details on what our guys are doing. Go here to read the rest.