Post by Admin on Apr 4, 2005 3:23:09 GMT -5
SAS role in Iraq revealed
May 9 2003
www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/09/1052280430667.html?oneclick=true
Australian SAS troops were involved in one of the first ground attacks of the Iraq war, fighting and capturing Iraqi soldiers more than a day before the first US bombs slammed into Baghdad, it was revealed today.
SAS commanders talked for the first time of the clandestine operations mounted by the elite special operations troops, revealing their main mission had been to destroy Iraqi Scud missile sites.
A large force of vehicle-mounted SAS troops entered Iraq on the night of March 18 after Prime Minister John Howard gave the go-ahead for military operations that morning.
The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until the early hours of Thursday, March 20, when the US attempted a so-called decapitation strike on Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad.
The bombing was the first signal to the world that war had started.
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Special Operations Command chief of staff Colonel John Mansell said a large SAS group entered Iraq under the cloak of darkness as soon as possible following the government's decision.
"The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area before the sun came up," he said.
He said that meant skirting enemy positions and trenches, while at the same time a second group of SAS troops travelled more than 600km by helicopter to take up positions in Iraq's western desert.
The first group ran into trouble just 30km inside the Iraqi border, running into a group of Iraqi vehicles.
The SAS, who Col Mansell said had been determined to take the fight to the enemy, immediately opened fire on the Iraqis and took several prisoner, later releasing them.
"This was one of the first ground attacks of the war," he said.
The helicopter insertion was also completed successfully, with the SAS travelling on US helicopters at near-ground level, skirting Iraqi missile defences and battling poor weather.
"When our people hit the ground, they were at that time by far and away the closest coalition ground elements to Baghdad, and they remained that way for a number of days," Col Mansell said.
He said through subsequent operations the SAS engaged in heavy fighting, harassing Iraqi forces and targets while preventing the movement of any Scuds through the Australian-controlled area.
"Virtually every day the SAS were in some form of heavy contact with the enemy," he said.
"This was no accident. The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a coordinated and well-drilled fashion."
In one engagement, SAS troopers called in air strikes on an enemy stronghold and in another destroyed at least half a dozen Iraqi armoured vehicles.
The SAS also defeated a force of more than 50 Iraqi irregulars in civilian vehicles and trucks, firing on them with javelin anti-armour missiles and heavy machine guns, before calling in air support.
But their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from RAAF F/A-18 fighter-bombers.
Col Mansell said the operations, which were conducted without any Australian casualties, highlighted the skills of the SAS, which has also won high praise from US president George W Bush.
The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks.
AAP
May 9 2003
www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/09/1052280430667.html?oneclick=true
Australian SAS troops were involved in one of the first ground attacks of the Iraq war, fighting and capturing Iraqi soldiers more than a day before the first US bombs slammed into Baghdad, it was revealed today.
SAS commanders talked for the first time of the clandestine operations mounted by the elite special operations troops, revealing their main mission had been to destroy Iraqi Scud missile sites.
A large force of vehicle-mounted SAS troops entered Iraq on the night of March 18 after Prime Minister John Howard gave the go-ahead for military operations that morning.
The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until the early hours of Thursday, March 20, when the US attempted a so-called decapitation strike on Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad.
The bombing was the first signal to the world that war had started.
advertisement
advertisement
Special Operations Command chief of staff Colonel John Mansell said a large SAS group entered Iraq under the cloak of darkness as soon as possible following the government's decision.
"The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area before the sun came up," he said.
He said that meant skirting enemy positions and trenches, while at the same time a second group of SAS troops travelled more than 600km by helicopter to take up positions in Iraq's western desert.
The first group ran into trouble just 30km inside the Iraqi border, running into a group of Iraqi vehicles.
The SAS, who Col Mansell said had been determined to take the fight to the enemy, immediately opened fire on the Iraqis and took several prisoner, later releasing them.
"This was one of the first ground attacks of the war," he said.
The helicopter insertion was also completed successfully, with the SAS travelling on US helicopters at near-ground level, skirting Iraqi missile defences and battling poor weather.
"When our people hit the ground, they were at that time by far and away the closest coalition ground elements to Baghdad, and they remained that way for a number of days," Col Mansell said.
He said through subsequent operations the SAS engaged in heavy fighting, harassing Iraqi forces and targets while preventing the movement of any Scuds through the Australian-controlled area.
"Virtually every day the SAS were in some form of heavy contact with the enemy," he said.
"This was no accident. The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a coordinated and well-drilled fashion."
In one engagement, SAS troopers called in air strikes on an enemy stronghold and in another destroyed at least half a dozen Iraqi armoured vehicles.
The SAS also defeated a force of more than 50 Iraqi irregulars in civilian vehicles and trucks, firing on them with javelin anti-armour missiles and heavy machine guns, before calling in air support.
But their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from RAAF F/A-18 fighter-bombers.
Col Mansell said the operations, which were conducted without any Australian casualties, highlighted the skills of the SAS, which has also won high praise from US president George W Bush.
The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks.
AAP