Hunt for Taliban sniper who has shot dead seven British troops in 5-month killing spree

It echoes the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster, but the deaths of seven British troops at the hands of a highly-trained and highly-skilled Afghan sniper in Sangin is a very real problem.

During a five-month killing spree, the sniper has stalked the 3rd Battalion, the Rifles, picking off individuals including a British sniper who was on the lookout for the shooter himself.

Three of those killed were considered among the best in their field.

Now the SAS is hunting the sniper who is stalking them across the streets of the city considered the most dangerous in Afghanistan.

The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

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I remember seeing that movie, Enemy at the Gates. Amazing what some of these people go through to get a shot at the enemy.

'So far he has not been taken down, even though the SAS have carried out several forays into the area.'

In total some 53 British servicemen have been killed in the vacinity of Sangin in the last 12 months, with 12 times the average casualty rate for Nato forces in the country

The senior officer added: 'There seem to be enough spy drones and troops for the size of area. The conclusion is the Taliban have outside help — from either Iran or Al-Qaeda in Pakistan — to train up their guys.'

Major-General Gordon Messenger, UK spokesman for operations in Afghanistan, said: 'The casualty toll in Sangin is tragically high but our forces remain very much on the front foot and are determined to maintain the progress that they and their predecessors have achieved.'

Ahh, I was waiting for the inevitable link to Iran. It's all Iran's fault.

"The senior officer added: 'There seem to be enough spy drones and troops for the size of area. The conclusion is the Taliban have outside help — from either Iran or Al-Qaeda in Pakistan — to train up their guys."

Yea or maybe he's just one natural born competent bad ass human being regardless what affiliation or creed.

It's just a waste of talent on both sides of this story. People with the ability to attain great skill only to be exhausted in warfare, a destructive nature.



[edit on 13-4-2010 by Your_Number_One_Fan]

Originally posted by TrueAmerican

It echoes the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster, but the deaths of seven British troops at the hands of a highly-trained and highly-skilled Afghan sniper in Sangin is a very real problem.

During a five-month killing spree, the sniper has stalked the 3rd Battalion, the Rifles, picking off individuals including a British sniper who was on the lookout for the shooter himself.

Three of those killed were considered among the best in their field.

I hope they catch him. He should not be killing people.

Haha! A sniper who is doing his job! Funny that a Taliban guy could scare the Brits after only killing less then two hand full of men. There was a man during WWII who had the Germans scared $&*(less. From Norway if I remember right and he killed alot more men with a old bolt action rifle! Too much reliance on hi tech toys and not enough emphasis on discipline and training.

[edit on 13-4-2010 by hangedman13]

So a sniper is picking of British troops.......and this is linked to Iran how?

Crazy.....

How do they know it's only one man exactly? and tying Iran into this...please, a sniper doing his job..Who da thunk it? Taking out some of the best british snipers is quite a feat though, are the taliban equipped with good sniper rifles compared to the British?

Britons (and others) are occupants at Afghanistan. It is perfectly legal and even honorable to shoot occupants. What will you do if AA (Army of Afghanistan) will occupy Kansas (reason=bring Sharia/Democracy/blabla)? You will shoot them and you will place IEDs on road sides. AA propaganda arm will call you terrorist while much of the country will call you freedom fighter.
I have respect to men and women in uniform - but western troops have NOTHING TO DO AT Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia ... They are there percieved as what they are: occupants.

Originally posted by Kram09
So a sniper is picking of British troops.......and this is linked to Iran how?

It's linked by embarrasment. A cave dwelling sniper is taking out their best.

They just don't want to admit their enemy is skilled, so they must have had "help".

reply to post by NuclearPaul


Yes, that's what I wanted to say....but for some strange reason I just couldn't put it into words, hahah.

reply to post by NuclearPaul


Well stated. Just for another angle at this, the US/CIA could have trained the sniper during the Soviet occupation. Wouldn't that be ironic?

Originally posted by Wayne60
reply to post by NuclearPaul

 

Well stated. Just for another angle at this, the US/CIA could have trained the sniper during the Soviet occupation. Wouldn't that be ironic?

Yeah, well one trained CIA asset we know of is Osama Bin Laden himself. Maybe that's why they can't get him, cause he's a master sniper.

Simo Hayha is the greatest sniper in history- Killing at least 700 invaders over 4 months.

Simo Häyhä (190? - 2002) of Finland is regarded by many as the most effective sniper in the history of warfare. He was nicknamed "Belaya Smert" (White Death) by the Soviet troops he stalked in the forests of Finland during the four month long Winter War between those two countries in 1939-1940. Using a relatively primitive Russian made Mosin-Nagant Model 28 rifle with no scope, Häyhä sniped no less than 542 Soviet Union soldiers.

Linky to this uber sniper



[edit on 14-4-2010 by star in a jar]

reply to post by hangedman13
actually dumb ass the snipers were took out by an SAS sniper team at a distance of one and half miles with a .50calibre rifle which is now the longest ever sniper kill in the world!!

Originally posted by zeddissad
Britons (and others) are occupants at Afghanistan. It is perfectly legal and even honorable to shoot occupants. What will you do if AA (Army of Afghanistan) will occupy Kansas (reason=bring Sharia/Democracy/blabla)? You will shoot them and you will place IEDs on road sides. AA propaganda arm will call you terrorist while much of the country will call you freedom fighter.
I have respect to men and women in uniform - but western troops have NOTHING TO DO AT Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia ... They are there percieved as what they are: occupants.

The taliban are the occupants. The taliban let OBL and his fools train in this country which led to ... you know something happening on Sep 11. How dare you take up for these demons? You people are just as bad as the nuts from that chuch in Kansas protesting at funerals.If the taliban would lay down arms and work with the gov. The CF would be out. We are not tryin to occupy anything over here... what is here? Just like all you nuts saying we went to Iraq for the oil...how did that turn out? The freedom fighters of Afghanistan are the Afghans in the ANP and ANA. Not the fools shooting at US troops while scream allah akubar.

Originally posted by Forrest4Three

Originally posted by zeddissad
Britons (and others) are occupants at Afghanistan. It is perfectly legal and even honorable to shoot occupants. What will you do if AA (Army of Afghanistan) will occupy Kansas (reason=bring Sharia/Democracy/blabla)? You will shoot them and you will place IEDs on road sides. AA propaganda arm will call you terrorist while much of the country will call you freedom fighter.
I have respect to men and women in uniform - but western troops have NOTHING TO DO AT Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia ... They are there percieved as what they are: occupants.

The taliban are the occupants. The taliban let OBL and his fools train in this country which led to ... you know something happening on Sep 11. How dare you take up for these demons? You people are just as bad as the nuts from that chuch in Kansas protesting at funerals.If the taliban would lay down arms and work with the gov. The CF would be out. We are not tryin to occupy anything over here... what is here? Just like all you nuts saying we went to Iraq for the oil...how did that turn out? The freedom fighters of Afghanistan are the Afghans in the ANP and ANA. Not the fools shooting at US troops while scream allah akubar.

How are the Talibans occupants when they are born in their own country? Sure you don't have to agree with what the Taliban is doing but you have no right calling them occupants.