|
SOURCE.WIKIPEDIA Operation Red Wing was a failed counter insurgent mission in Kunar province, Afghanistan, involving four members of the U.S. Navy SEALs, which took place June 28, 2005. Three of the SEALs were killed during the operation. The fourth was protected by local villagers and later rescued by the U.S. military. The SEAL team, led by Lt. Michael P. Murphy and consisting of petty officers Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell, was on a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah (nom de guerre Mohammad Ismail), a key Taliban leader, west of Asadabad,who ultimately died in a firefight some two years later.After an initially successful infiltration, local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. The SEALs decided to let them go rather than kill them, and the herders alerted local Taliban forces. They were surrounded by the Taliban and a firefight ensued. Even though they were pinned down, Lt. Murphy broke cover long enough to make a call to his base for back-up. The call was placed on a cell phone, due to the fact that the radio reception was very bad on that part of the mountain, and the base could not receive their radio transmission. In the process of placing this call, he was shot in the stomach and back but he still managed to complete the call.The three remaining SEALs continued to fight off the Taliban, gravely wounded, protecting each other as their position was pushed back to lower ground. After two hours of fighting and killing dozens of Taliban fighters each, only Luttrell remained alive. In response to the call from Murphy to Bagram Air Base, two MH-47 Chinook helicopter's, four UH-60 Blackhawks and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar province, Afghanistan. Crew from the escort attack helicopters praised the SEALs on the ground as putting up outstanding resistance, calling it "an unbelievable firefight." One of the Chinook helicopter's carrying eight US Navy SEALs and eight Nightstalkers - members of the Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment was shot down by what is believed to have been a rocket propelled grenade shot through the open rear ramp killing all sixteen on board.
Rescue Now alone and wounded, Luttrell had to fend for himself. He pulled himself away from the fire zone and tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. During this time, Luttrell was discovered by an Afghan man who was not part of the Taliban. Shortly afterwards, more Afghan men showed up armed with AK-47 rifles. The men took the wounded Luttrell and carried him to the village of Sabray-Minah. The villagers in Sabray-Minah took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and even protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate Luttrell. Finally, the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from a Marine outpost several miles away. With this information, the U.S. forces drew up rescue plans. According to Lt. Col. Steve Butow, the plans were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since Vietnam".The rescue was a success and they brought Luttrell home. --
Our comment :
> Luttrell would not be alive without the help of the Pashtun people , Pashtunwali (Pashto: پښتونوالی) or Pakhtunwali is a concept of living or philosophy for the Pashtun people and is regarded as an honour code and a non-written law for the people.While there are some indications that it dates back to the pre-Islamic era, Pashtunwali's foundations are in Islam, and therefore those who practice Pashtunwali do not contravene Islamic principles.It is practiced by Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and by members of the Pashtun diaspora around the world. 
---
|
