chapter 11 - HighLand Thunder

The area south to village Taghaz (district Khanashin, Helmand) was very kinetic. ISAF and ANSF patrols frequently came under fire and faced IED threats. Two traffic checkpoints; TCP-2, and TCP-4 were established next to the dirt road to impede insurgents’ activities and narco-traffickers’ movements. TCP-2 was close to the Taghaz bazaar. The surrounding areas of TCP-2 were irrigated by the Taghaz canal. The team I was working with at COP Castle frequently visited TCP-2 to attend weekly Shura or elders meetings.

TCP-4 was located about two miles toward south-west of TCP-2 and was close to the river Helmand. The area around TCP-4 was rough and sandy with no significant agricultural activity. However, there were some spots with better soil which were used for agriculture production, especially for growing poppies. Most Baluch nomads (Kuchi) tribes were inhabited in the area. The area across the river was known as Bahram Chah which bordered Gard-e-Jungle, Baluchistan Province of Pakistan. During the Russian invasion, many people from the area took refuge in Pakistan and lived in a UNHCR refugee camp in Gard-e- Jungle.

On February 12, 2012, my team along with other Marines moved from Combat outpost (COP) Taghaz to the south of village Taghaz with the objectives to clear the area from the Taliban fighters. The trucks we were riding left us at TCP-2. We walked a couple of miles with our rucksacks toward compound 41, a temporary camp established for the mission Highland Thunder. Compound 41 was about a two hectares flat piece of land surrounded by a mud wall and planted with poppy crops. However, the crop disappeared in a couple of days due to our activity in the compound. After cleaning the compound, we set up our pop-up tents. Even though these tents were very small, two adult males were accommodated in each tent. On our first day we did a foot patrol in the surrounding areas of the compound.

The whole area was covered with small water channels and drainage canals. As the area was located at the end of Taghaz canal hence water logging was not apparent. During foot patrol we were usually instructed to avoid small bridges due to IED threat, instead, we jumped over small water courses and walked through wider water passages. It was not always easy for me to jump wide waterways while wearing all-body gears with pockets full of water bottles, cliff bars and candies for the kids. Therefore, I preferred to walk through the water rather than jump over and fall in the water. Our first day patrol was not very long, and we came back at about sunset. After MRE dinner we were told to dig drains around our tents, because of a rain forecast.

At nighttime the weather became extremely cold. Even with all my warm clothing on, including socks, gloves, and double sleeping bags I was freezing. I was exhausted due to travelling and long walks but could not sleep due to the cold. I was amazed with the huge difference between the day and night temperatures. Next day we collected twigs and cardboard boxes enough to have a couple of hours of fire at nighttime. For our remaining 14 days, it was our routine to collect wood and card boards during the daytime and make a small fire at nighttime and sit around it as long as we could.

Compound 41 was surrounded by farmland. Farmers were busy either irrigating or removing weeds from their fields at the time of my visit. The area was irrigated by the Taghaz canal, originating from river Helmand. Lands which were close to the river were irrigated with lift irrigation by using diesel pumps, a very expensive way of irrigation. Poppy and wheat were the major crops in the area. The area was not only popular for its poppy production but also for drug trafficking due to its proximity to the porous Afghan-Pakistan border with various illicit crossings. Camels and goats were commonly raised by the kuchies (nomads) and farmers in the area. Camels were mostly used for bringing water, firewood, and other household items. While goats were the major source of milk and cash reserve for the family.

Other than nighttime freezing weather and 5-6 hours daily patrol, we were able to have a good time chatting with teams who came from FOB Payne and Camp Leatherneck to support the mission. As no shower facilities were available, we kept on cleaning ourselves with baby wipes. Our toilet was set outside the compound wall and was hidden in the bushes. However, the face of the person who was doing toileting could be seen by the people travelling on the road. As I was doing most of the talking while on foot patrols, many villagers easily recognized me when I was using the toilet. Many times, they stopped and said hello and inquired about my health thinking that I am reading a book while sitting on a chair. Thanks to a big drainage canal, thick bush cover and a roadside mud wall which prevented them from coming close to me.

Like many other areas of Helmand there were no schools, hospitals or roads in the area. We met one teenager who studied until fifth grade in a refugee camp in Pakistan and was able to read and write. He was working in a workshop to repair motorcycles and tractors. Suddenly a question hit my mind, whether these kids were better-off in the refugee camps where more education and healthcare facilities were available or are they better-off in their homes without any education, health care facilities and with very little or no opportunities for the future.