Oklahoma Guardsmen Take Lead in Operation Shamsheer

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (October 26, 2011) – Shamsheer, which translated from Dari means “Sword,” is the name of the mission that brought the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment to the forefront of a major clearing operation in Zormat district, Paktya province recently. 

As part of a larger operation, Shamsheer was intended to deny insurgent freedom of movement throughout Paktya Province.

Almost 200 soldiers from the Afghan National Army, Afghan Uniformed Police and Soldiers from Task Force Creek cleared historic weapons caches and targeted known locations of insurgent leaders, resulting in the capture of a known Haqqani sub-commander and the removal of six improvised explosive devices.

The Afghan National Security Forces led the operation from the planning to the execution.  Soldiers of TF Creek played a support role in the success of the operation.

"Our partnership with the ANSF has been very beneficial over the past few months,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Joshua Starks of Tulsa, Okla., commander of Company B, 1st Bn., 279th Inf. Regt.  “If they continue to develop and progress at this rate, I'm [confident] they'll have no trouble maintaining security in the district."

On the first day of the operation, Gardez City, the capital of Paktya, was rocked by a Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device and a coordinated attack by three insurgents. Afghan Police reacted quickly, killing all three while would-be suicide bombers.

“This operation demonstrates the continued development and capabilities of the Afghan National Security Forces in taking the fight to the insurgency", said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chuck Booze, Norman, Okla., resident and commander of TF Creek. "We continue to see that when Afghan Security forces move into an area the population responds favorably and the insurgency is powerless to stop them."

Overall, the mission was a success that showcased the strong partnership with the ANSF. As Afghanistan edges closer to the 2014 withdrawal date set by U.S. President Barack Obama, partnered operations and training become even more critical in the development of the ANSF who will be responsible for their nation’s security after the withdrawal.