Afghanistan Report 2009 - Isaf - Nato
Afghanistan Report 2009 - Isaf - Nato
Afghanistan Report 2009 - Isaf - Nato
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The money from the narcotics trade is feeding the insurgency.<br />
It buys weapons and pays fighters – the weapons and fighters<br />
that kill soldiers and Afghan citizens alike. It is a cancer,<br />
fuelling the insurgency, contributing to corruption, impeding<br />
legitimate commerce, and undermining governance.<br />
General John B. Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe<br />
OPERATION DIESEL<br />
Operation DIESEL was carried out by ANSF,<br />
supported by UK ISAF troops in the Sangin<br />
Valley of Helmand province between 6 and<br />
11 February <strong>2009</strong>. Sangin, a district with a<br />
population of around 50,000, is dominated<br />
by an area that has long been a centre<br />
of insurgent activity and where extensive<br />
narcotics production provides a stream of<br />
funding to the Taliban.<br />
ANSF and ISAF soldiers carried out Operation Diesel in the<br />
Sangin Valley of Helmand Province in February <strong>2009</strong>. Their<br />
mission included disrupting insurgent command and control,<br />
logistics and IED facilities. (© UK MoD)<br />
The operation resulted in the disruption of<br />
insurgent command and control, logistics and<br />
IED facilities, and delivered the following :<br />
• Destruction of a large quantity of narcotics,<br />
including 1295kg of wet opium;<br />
• Destruction of 4 significant drug factories and<br />
laboratory equipment;<br />
• The discovery and removal of pre-cursor<br />
chemicals for use in the production of<br />
heroin. The quantities found and destroyed<br />
would be sufficient for the production of<br />
heroin with an estimated end street value of<br />
over 50m GBP;<br />
• A considerable number of weapons and<br />
ammunition have been removed, including<br />
Ak47 assault rifles, machine guns, numerous<br />
ammunition magazines and 3 RPG rocket<br />
launchers complete with additional warheads;<br />
• Discovery of a motorbike modified for use in a<br />
suicide attack.<br />
An ISAF Royal Marine inspects a drugs haul during the ANSF-led<br />
operation Diesel, Helmand, in February <strong>2009</strong>. (© UK MoD)<br />
(Source: UK Ministry of Defence)<br />
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