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Soldiers

Explosive Hazard Reduction Operator Saves Lives in Helmand Province

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Sergeant Abdullah Nasrullah, a 26-year-old Tajik born and bred in Helmand province, has become the most experienced Explosive Hazard Reduction (EHR) operator in the Afghan National Army (ANA). Born and raised in Helmand, Nasrullah has been a soldier in the ANA for five years and has already led his team in dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a series of incidents. He has played a key role in Operation OMID CHAR, a pioneering Afghan-planned and led offensive to clear an area of Gereshk of insurgent activity last year.

Nasrullah's bravery and expertise have earned him the respect of his colleagues, who know that his actions have saved countless lives. As the EHR operator, Nasrullah commands a team of four ANA warriors tasked with responding to and rendering safe Helmand's biggest killer, IEDs. He has undergone training with the British-led course, set up to enable the ANA to quickly counter the growing threat of IEDs, which have killed or maimed hundreds of Afghan, British, and international troops, as well as civilians.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sergeant Abdullah Nasrullah is a 26-year-old Tajik born and bred in Helmand province, who has become the most experienced EHR operator in the ANA.
  • Nasrullah has been a soldier in the ANA for five years and has led his team in dealing with IEDs in a series of incidents.
  • He played a key role in Operation OMID CHAR, a pioneering Afghan-planned and led offensive to clear an area of Gereshk of insurgent activity last year.
  • Nasrullah's bravery and expertise have earned him the respect of his colleagues, who know that his actions have saved countless lives.
  • The British-led course that Nasrullah underwent was set up to enable the ANA to quickly counter the growing threat of IEDs.
  • The course was established to enable the ANA to learn how to deal with IEDs and other mines that are common in the ground in Helmand province.

Statistics:

  • 26 years old - the age of Sergeant Abdullah Nasrullah.
  • 5 years - the number of years Nasrullah has been a soldier in the ANA.
  • 2009 - the year Nasrullah qualified as an EHR operator.
  • 4 - the number of ANA warriors in Nasrullah's team.
  • 100s - the number of Afghan, British, and international troops, as well as civilians who have been killed or maimed by IEDs in Helmand province.

Sources:

  • The UK Ministry of Defence news blog, dated February 1.
  • HT Media Ltd. (Hindustan Times).

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