"Fighting the Taleban in Musa Qal'eh"

Ref: DR098

by David Rowlands

Size 58 x 38 cm

In 2006, three composite platoons were drawn from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, and attached to 3 PARA.

On 6th August, Somme platoon and the Mortar Section went to reinforce the 1 Danish Light Reconnaissance Squadron of 140 men defending the District Centre at Musa Qal’eh, known as Combat Outpost Griffin. After weeks of intensive fighting together, the Danes extracted on 24th August, when Barrosa platoon with a Company HQ element from 3 PARA went to join the defenders. They became known as “Easy” Company 3 PARA.

All civilians had fled from the town as the fighting intensified. Hundreds of Taliban fighters were well hidden among the narrow streets and walls which surrounded the compound, and the frequency of their attacks was relentless. The enemy were well equipped with small arms, RPGs, Chinese rockets, recoilless rifles and mortars, and several attacks were fended off on a daily basis. For weeks the fighting was ferocious and at close quarters, with grenades thrown over the walls and fast jet fire- power regularly called as close as 30 metres away from the compound.

This painting depicts the defence of the building known as “the outpost”, which was situated just beyond the north-west corner of the perimeter wall. The outpost was initially reached by crossing a rickety bridge of wooden planks over an alley, which was barricaded at the end. Later, a hole was knocked through the mud wall of the compound and soldiers crossed the alleyway at ground level to enter the outpost. A rough wooden ladder led up to an opening in the flat roof. The viewpoint is looking toward the west. In the distance can be seen the curious tower like a minaret, surrounded by wooden scaffolding, in the main street of Musah Qal’eh. The soldiers called it the ‘obelisk.’

In the compound can be seen one of the two 81mm mortar barrels which had a devastating effect on the enemy. In total, they fired 851 rounds, amounting to one quarter of all the rounds expended by the whole battle group.

During this period three soldiers were killed, two were seriously injured and many others wounded at Musa Qal’eh.