Special Boat Service Operations - Hostage Rescue
Dateline : 24th September 2007
At time of writing, reports are beginning to surface of a daring SBS raid in Afghanistan.
2 Italian soldiers, possibly intelligence operatives, working in Afghanistan had been missing for several days, believed to be captured by Taliban militia. An operation to free them was put into motion when intel pinpointed the location of the hostages, close to Farah, in Western Afghanistan.
A force of SBS commandos from C Squadron were loaded onto 4 Lynx Mk7 helicopters. SBS snipers armed with .50 caliber rifles covered the assault teams as they swooped down on the militia, who were moving the hostages in a convoy of 4x4 vehicles. As the snipers disabled the vehicles with shots through their engine blocks, other SBS men were inserted onto the ground to engage any kidnappers not already taken out by the airborne snipers and to secure the hostages.
The 2 Italian hostages were recovered, albeit with injuries, some serious.
Some sources have reported that Italian special forces were involved in the operation. Speculation has it that the Italians may have tracked the hostage-takers, keeping them under surveillance until the rescue operation was launched. Other reports say the Italian special forces stormed a nearby building, where the hostages were being held before the kidnappers attempted to make off with them.
Related Links/Articles:
- Hostages saved by the SBS
(UK newspaper, The Sun, report on the operation by the SBS)
