Insurgents battle rifle

[jackdanson]

That would be one of the photos originally published in Paris Match, showing the Taliban displaying the uniforms and weapons of the ten French paras killed in an August 18, 2008 ambush.

Dang, I didn't realise they were killed, I feel horrible. The article I read implied they left the weapons behind while falling back.

 

[Reid73]

The skirmish is known as the Uzbin Valley ambush. AFAIK, it ties the July 13, 2008 Battle of Wanat as the highest death toll for ISAF soldiers arising out of a single battle.

Although a NATO report later concluded that the French paras were poorly equipped, they fought bravely (ANA troops abandoned their positions and weapons, but the French did not). You can read an informative account here.

 

[John Parker]

That would be one of the photos originally published in Paris Match, showing the Taliban displaying the uniforms and weapons of the ten French paras killed in an August 18, 2008 ambush.

Good ol' Sarobi...what a fine place. The initial reports of French being taken prisoner made the ISAF intelligence apparatus stop entirely. It's amazing how it all halts and re-directs towards recovering them.

Although a NATO report later concluded that the French paras were poorly equipped, they fought bravely (ANA troops abandoned their positions and weapons, but the French did not).

They only took 300 rds for each of the .50s mounted on their APCs...they were poorly equipped because they chose to roll light into an area which we had received, and passed onto ISAF, numerous reports of impending attacks. The ODAs from TF 10-2 that went with the ANA into the area at the same time took plenty of ammo with them and had to pass it out to the paras. And the ANA have a really mixed history of how they'll fight.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I saw a lot of the Afghani friendlies with SKSs. Occasional AK, Enfield, Mosin,

 

[Titan6]

I left in December. It was pretty hot in my area. Looking at my notes of the non-handguns and non crew served/ heavy weapons we captured:

1675 - AKs
315- SKS
4 - Enfields
1- FAL
1- Mauser 98
4- Drugonvos
31- Subguns (9mm mostly Sten knock offs or Stens)

This was in an urban center of about 600,000 people.

 

[Aaron12]

titan6, what do you do with them once you've captured them? do they just go and get incinerated somewhere?

 

[Jeremy2171]

We found lots of cool stuff over there...here is some of it getting one last workout before it was destroyed.











Enjoy! I know I did!

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

Hey Irked, I served 37 years ago in a forgotten war, my enemy used anything they could get a hold of. it is scary what you,me or our enemy will use to protect themselves, our family our country. this really is "no holds barred" there is no 2nd place, you do what you got to.

 

[Exposure]

Hey Jeremy2171-

What can you tell me about that 1928 Thompson (if anything) that you have slung in that first pic? I would love to know how it came all the way to Iraq! Shame it was destroyed, but I would much rather see it in pieces than being used against you and my other brothers and sisters in uniform.

Cool pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[SpeedAKL]

Do you guys have any info as to the country/source of the AKs being used?

I read an article on how many weapons being used by the jihadists in Iraq are of Chinese manufacture - China doesn't sell directly to them, but they dump enough into Iran and Syria and that plenty of guns get into Iraq and the Chi-Comms look the other way. In your experiences, have you noticed this at all?

 

[clone]

Jeremy2171,

What kind of rifle is that in the last picture?

 

[Jeremy2171]

The thompson was was Brit proofed so it had likely been here since WW2. I had to work on it a bit as the Haji that had buggered it up.

As for AK's...there is EVERY type there (7.62) by just about every country that made them. Mostly Chicom and Yugo in my area but I saw about every type at one time or another...never saw a Korean or Vietnamese though.

The last rifle is a Czech Vz 52/57.

There is a Berretta MP 38/44 on the ground behind me.

 

[John Parker]

Do you guys have any info as to the country/source of the AKs being used?

There are very large databases devoted to this very matter. As for a real pattern of supply? Well, things come in secondhand from all over, really. Just like during the Soviet-Afghan War, we bought equipment from China, Poland, Egypt, hell, you name it! It went into Pakistan and then on to the Afghans. Same thing happens today. Governments sell their 'old junk' rifles and they wind up in Afghanistan.

 

[Reid73]

Jeremy2171, thank you for the pics. A Springfield M1903 still in action, wow!

 

[K.L.O.sako]

my friend who got back a few months ago said they have a little bit of everything over there, even arisakas, and mausers, he also said "as long as there aiming at you, your relativly safe." training and accuracy is why we win against superior weapons. or maybe just superior calibers?

 

[Badger Arms]

The 'gang members' in Iraq used IED's and hid like cowards. The few that were suicidal enough to try and 'take on' the Brits and Us had AK's (9 out of 10 times). The rest were RPK's, RPD's, and a few of everything else. Yeah, an Enfield or two. The longer the conflict goes on, the less actual military stuff you see and the more AK's as a percentage you see. Probably due to AK's in civilian hands. Funny, the Iraqi lawas allow them to own machineguns!

 

[Titan6]

titan6, what do you do with them once you've captured them? do they just go and get incinerated somewhere?

Many were recycled and used by the IA. Some (esp the SKS) were destroyed. The Mauser 98 was claimed by the IA Brigade Commander who took it home with him.

 

[blackops]

AK's...and I'm still waiting for the moderator to answer the question referring to why a an Enfield isn't a battle rifle.

 

[davidjblythe]

I'm deployed in Iraq right now. In the entrance to our building we have serveral captured weapons on display (zip tied to a peg board):

Romak PSL, All-matching Yugo M48, Czech LMG, PPSH 41, SKS, Enfield No1 Mk III, RPG

 

[ccsniper]

. Those terrorists were photographed with no disguise, and were supposed to be good shots.

from what I have read, most of the insurgency (terrorists) that are good shots are from Chechnya. And they have been shooting ruskies for a long time.

 

[DMK]

You have to wonder about the story of that Springfield 1903 and how it got there. It's a real shame that it and that Thompson had to get crushed.

 

[mypps]

jeremy,
what is the rifle in the 4th picture down? it looks like some kind of crazy homemade AR or something.

 

[gun addict]

that's a para FAL without the internals/pistol grip

and the one below that is a Rasheed

shame that the Thompson will be destroyed, why in the world our serviceman isn't allowed to bringback captured weapons (non full auto, pistol, semi auto) anymore is beyond me

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Jeremy, thanks for those photos! Those guns must have been a blast to shoot. Any chance the Thompson avoided certain destruction?

Let's be sure we have our definitions sorted out.

Battle Rifles fire a full power rifle ammunition of ~30 caliber.

Assault Rifles fire an intermediate cartridge of 30 caliber or less.

The "insurgents" don't use battle rifles.

Oh, please

Everyone knows exactly what the original poster was talking about, so unless he specifically meant to ask what type of "full power rifles with ~30 caliber" are being used by insurgents, can we put semantics aside?

Some insurgents use their Assault rifles for battling, just as some use their battle rifles for assaulting.

 

[C-grunt]

from what I have read, most of the insurgency (terrorists) that are good shots are from Chechnya. And they have been shooting ruskies for a long time.

We had a few guys from the tank battalion from one of our sister FOBs get sniped by supposed Chechnyan (sp?) insurgents. Where I was at was mostly Iranian insurgents, according to the locals.