Saturday, January 15, 2011

British Army bomb disposal team breaks record

British Army bomb disposal experts have made safe a record number of improvised explosive devices for a single operation on their current tour of Afghanistan.

Some 12 IEDs were found within 300 metres of each other on a route known as Bandi Barq Road in the Gereshk area of Helmand province.

The high-risk clearance operation found the devices, which ranged in size from 5-15kg and were targeted at vehicles and troops on foot.

All 12 were cleared by Warrant Officer Class 2 Iain Martin, Royal Logistic Corps.

The 39-year-old from Craigiehall, Edinburgh, said: ''This was a huge variety of IEDs, all within a short distance, and represented a real challenge for us.

''Our reward came when we had finished and an Afghan family came up on to the road with their herd of goats, looking around like they hadn't trodden on the land in years.

''The local people have confidence in us and our work to improve their lives, and that's a great feeling.''

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Davis GM, Commanding Officer of the Counter-IED Task Force, added that the bravery of his bomb disposal teams ''never fails to amaze me''.

''We know we are having a positive effect, not just for our own troops but also for local Afghans who approach us and express their gratitude for the UK troops helping to make their lives more bearable,'' he said.

Telegraph

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