Chechen mercs in Iraq

[RomanS]

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20040614-095047-5835r.htm

Chechen gunmen eyed in ambush


By Sharon Behn
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


Mercenaries believed to be from Chechnya are suspected of carrying out the deadly ambush of civilian security contractors on a road outside Baghdad earlier this month.
The attackers killed four civilians working with Blackwater USA. Three contractors who managed to escape concluded that the assault was the work of trained gunmen.

If so, said a former U.S. Special Forces fighter recently in Baghdad, "this opens a whole other can of worms for the coalition to deal with."
It also means that contractors would need more sophisticated and heavier weaponry to fight off better armed terrorists, the former soldier said.
The attack occurred June 6 and is recorded in the survivors' reports.
A seven-man team was driving to the airport in two sport utility vehicles. Four persons were in the second vehicle.
After passing the first of several overpasses, traveling at the usual speed for U.S. vehicles of about 75 mph, six local cars merged along their right side — not unusual in that strip of road.
Then, without warning, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the rear SUV on the front passenger side, putting it out of action and setting it on fire. The driver just managed to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop, and the other vehicle stopped to help.
Two Pajero SUVs being driven by the attackers stopped some 100 yards in front and opened fire with Russian-designed PKM belt-fed machine guns, using armor-piercing and incendiary rounds.
The rounds destroyed the engine of the first vehicle.
The team leader decided to abandon the first vehicle, when the attackers in the other four SUVs, still driving, made a 180-degree turn on the road and came back for another pass.
Numbering about 20 people, the attackers then opened fire from about 30 yards. Attackers and contractors traded fire, with the contractors still being hit with the belt-fed machine gun.
Going through many magazines of ammunition, the contractors desperately threw nearly a dozen grenades at the attackers — which the survivors believe was the only thing that halted the onslaught.
The attackers stopped, collected their dead and wounded, and left.
During the gunfight, the driver of lead vehicle took a bullet to the head, two in his legs and got fragmentation wounds on his face. But he continued to fight, running hundreds of yards in full gear and accounting for his men. He survived.
Another surviving team member was shot three times but charged the enemy vehicles anyway, shooting until the attack was over. The third survivor made it out unharmed.
The four who died "went out hard," said the report. There were thousands of shell casings, and two of the bodies were draped over their guns, still aimed at the attackers.
The other two were killed as they tried to get out of their vehicle. All died of massive gunshot wounds.
Professional analysis of the incident concluded that the attackers were well-trained and were most likely Syrian or Chechen hired guns. They wanted to survive and not leave any bodies.
"The ambush on the [airport] highway was done by Chechen imports. Very switched on and well experienced," said the former Special Forces member.
"Hitting a moving car at [72 mph], plus from another moving car, with an RPG is no small feat ... [and] the fact that they policed up their dead [and] wounded and all the weapons also indicates their level of professionalism.
"I personally don't think they were good Muslims doing their jihad duties, or politically motivated. I think they were high-tech, highly trained mercenaries in it for the bucks."
He said that contractors — frequently used to complement U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, were in "survival mode" when it came to the equipment they needed to do their jobs.

[mack pl]

It was this situation when 2 Poles were killed, yes???

BTW for me its not suprise that Chechens are fighting in Iraq. They fight in A-stan, so whay they couldn't fight in Iraq. They have big experience in fighting like that, against Russian Army, so they could help a lot to Iraqis who wanna fight against coalition(and PMCs).

Ohh, and about this heavy weapons- what this guy means? Im guess Blackwater cannot using RPGs, or mortars, or 40mm grenade launchers??Maybe Im wrong. But If they think its the only way to kill terrorists, than I support this decision.

Chwala spetsnazom, smiert terroristom ;)

Regards

[ariweiner]

Lol, whenever someone experiences hard resistance in a Muslim country, it's either the Chechens, Uzbeks or suicidal terrorists. In other words they are trying to say, "there's nothing we could do against such reknowned fighters."

[Javehn]

Lol, whenever someone experiences hard resistance in a Muslim country, it's either the Chechens, Uzbeks or suicidal terrorists. In other words they are trying to say, "there's nothing we could do against such reknowned fighters."

How about some rebuilding help instead of shooting the hell out of everything ? That also helps ...
Or Sharia doesn't permit that ?

[Argyll]

Total Bull**** regarding the BSC incident!!
It was the other way round,the insurgents were advancing on the Blackwater guys from both front and rear.The guys in the softskin never made it out alive........that story Permskiomon posted is trying to make it sound good..........it was a total gangfok.!!

[CRAZY MERC]

To ariweiner: why don't you just STFU ?

[shrek]

@ Argyl: So, you're saying that these guys came out on the losing end although the story tries to make it sound otherwise?

Reknowned fighters? Not hardly, just basically trained, unlike most of the assholes that these guys are encountering who just pray, spray and die. We were only afraid of one group in A-stan, the Chechens. It was the Muslim version of the true special forces mission; they move in, train the locals in basic infantry crap, and start killing us wholesale instead of accidentally. The good thing was that they were easy to spot, even from a distance.

Basic ROE where I was:

See man with RPG on shoulder, stop him and take it, if he aims it at you kill him!

See light skinned man with RPG on shoulder, kill him!

This is not Bravado, this was our ROE (we gave the first guy a chance that we didn't have to)

[Uncle Chô]

How about Serbs hired as PMC in Iraq?

If true (Argyll?) strange to find former SAS operators side by side with people they chased in former Yougoslavia some years ago... :roll:

[Argyll]

Shrek,
Not exactly,when the soft skin was "brassed up",it was more than likely the occupants were killed instantly,it caught fire almost immediately,it was the front vehicle,the ambush was done by 4 vehicles,and it was a rolling ambush,ie done on the move.
When the softskin stopped,the Armoured moved beside it in the attempt to cross deck survivors,there were none,tango 1 went 100m forward and dismounted,tango 2 stopped approx the same to the rear,this gave 10 IZ's at the front and rear,Arm 1 was disabled,leaving the 3 survivors in serious ****,the 2 vehicles Soft 1 and Arm.1 were parallel,leaving no cover to the front or rear,the occupants of Arm1 returned fire,each having 10 mags(900 rnds approx)they expended most of it,with little or no accurate return fire,the Tangos at 1 &2 began advancing,BSC began taking hits,and were in serious trouble,low in ammo,they extracted over the centre reservation,meanwhile Tango 3 & 4 began the assault during the initial contact,from the flank probably from 10-15 M,some insurgents were seen going down,but 3 against 20 is not good odds,the tango's were very disciplined,and were also using AP rounds(reason for Arm1 disablement).
The survivors hijacked a vehicle and headed back to the green zone........these guys are lucky to be alive,this ASU is good,very good,as to whether they're Chechen's is open to debate,but to know the routes,roads and SOP's.....I doubt it very much,they use local knowledge too much,even today Dynacorp got hit on the same road despite a strong Military presence.......this ASU needs a dose of it's own medicine,the ante here has been upped seriously in the past week concerning drive by's

[shrek]

It sounds like some counter-ambush tactics are in order. I know, I know, that ain't there job. However, you and I know that they're gonna just keep getting killed otherwise. Doesn't sound like bigger weaponry would have helped much; no cover, no way to put a heavier weapon to any use. Poor bastards!
Fok Argyl, stop foking around go home. This sounds like a turkey shoot and you're the Turkey.

[Uncle Chô]

To handle with care - quote from The Sun ;)



Hero Brit among 13 killed yesterday

Two Britons, one a former hero soldier, died yesterday when a car bomb tore apart a convoy carrying civilian contractors in Baghdad.

The pair were among 13 killed by the suicide blast in one of the Iraqi capital’s busiest streets.

The ex-British soldier was named last night as former Colour Sergeant Keith Butler, 46, once a member of 3 Para.

As a young paratrooper Keith took part in the bloody Battle of Mount Longdon in the Falklands in 1982.

He was part of A Company, who fixed bayonets and charged the Argentinians after they ran out of ammunition.

Keith served at least five tours in Ulster with the Paras and took part in Operation Barras in Sierra Leone in 2000, launched to rescue British soldiers taken hostage by militia.

He left the Army only last year after 22 years and was working as a guard for London-based Olive Security.

But as eight vehices blazed after the blast that killed him yesterday, a howling Iraqi mob screamed insults.

They pelted the cars with pieces of wreckage and beer cans looted from a shop.

Five of the dead were Westerners, including an American and a Frenchman. Keith, originally from London, and his fellow Brit were protecting men who were helping to rebuild power stations.

A spokesman for their firm said: “We have contacted their families and our thoughts rest with them at present.”

Denzil Connick, secretary of the Falklands veterans’ organisation the South Atlantic Medal Association, said: “I am deeply shocked and saddened at the news of Keith’s death.”

The other dead were locals in shops and houses, several of which were flattened. At least 50 were injured.

Foreign Office officials have not ruled out further British casualties in the attack.

American troops who raced to help were bombarded with missiles and taunted with chants of “Down with USA!”

Rioters held aloft charred body parts and, in an Arab insult, one man beat a Union flag found in the debris with the sole of a shoe.

[ShotOver]

My word, a war hero.. Rest in Peace.

Argyll mate, worried about you. Stay safe mate, you and your buddies, keep both safe, and come home in one piece for your family, who love you move than the Iraqi people you are trying to help.

[5jumpchump]

Lol, whenever someone experiences hard resistance in a Muslim country, it's either the Chechens, Uzbeks or suicidal terrorists. In other words they are trying to say, "there's nothing we could do against such reknowned fighters."

Yeah , lord knows it couldn't be them :roll:

[ariweiner]

Could somone provide me a jot of actual evidence that there are Chechens fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[Argyll]

Could somone provide me a jot of actual evidence that there are Chechens fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Why?............there are all sorts here,Chechens Yemeni's Saudi's,every Muslim with an axe to grind is here,showing you proof is not going to prove a damn thing,take it from one who gets Int briefs daily they're here!

Shrek,
I hear ya,but cutting and running is not the done thing,we're here as long as the clients and the Marines are,practicing drills daily,weapon handling daily,driving skills daily will help if the **** hits the fan,we train every day mate,2-3 hours daily depending on what it is.

Guys,if you were to worry about everything in life you'd never leave the house,only to get electrocuted by switching the kettle on for a brew!If your numbers up.......it's up!

[ariweiner]

Why?

Because people are using a "Chechens are terrorists" argument to delegitimize their entire freedom struggle in Chechnya. Secondly, everyone who comes up against heavy resistance automatically states that it is "Chechens." Remember the "Chechens in Tora Bora and Shah-i-kot" that repeatedly made the rounds despite the fact that it is now well known that Arabs were the primary fighters in Tora Bora and Uzbeks were the primary fighters in Shah-i-kot.

[tuckerhat]

Agyll good to see you alive. Know anything about the incident yesterday with the British contractors?

[shrek]

There were/are Chechens in A-stan, caught some, killed some (not me) and interogated some, they exist. Can't speak for Iraq.

One thing before I go; I hope whomever keeps asking about the Chechens doesn't see them as walking down the street in their "Chechen wear" looking like they just stepped off a street corner. They look very much like, and sometimes just like, the assholes around them. Most have lighter skin which is a fair way to spot them.

[shrek]

I know you can't cut and run Arg. I was 39 when I joined back to go to A-stan. It's just in ya! That was just my way of saying that I want to see yu come home. I hear that you've got a lot to live for, that is other than your own sorry, warn out ol' ass.

[mack pl]

. Most have lighter skin which is a fair way to spot them.
maybe because they aren't Arabs or Pakistanis ;) They are caucasian type ;) :lol:

[Whisper_44]

other than your own sorry, warn out ol' ass.

Sounds like you know him too ;)

Head up CK, train, train train some more.





shrek, did you get my PM? couple days ago?

[StukaJr]

Because people are using a "Chechens are terrorists" argument to delegitimize their entire freedom struggle in Chechnya.

Isn't it a little bit ironic to call "freedom struggle" the illigitemate para-military actions of slave trading warlords against the federal government representing that nation? Is it freedom you fight for when you kidnap, enslave, traffic drugs, deny education and basic human rights to women?
That feudal backward way of life is about as ilegitamate and soon to follow the rest of squashed extrimists.

God speed, to all the guys fighting the good fight!

[shrek]

Whisper: Well, I was about to say "you mean about the .45 versus 9mm, sure I did, and I sent you a huge reply". The, however, I looked inmy sent box, and, voila, nadda, no reply!!! Sorry bro!

I'll summarize: The 9mm sucks and is good for plinking and making someone realize that your seriously pissed at them. The .45, like my Sig, is a man-stopper! That's why a lot of SEALs, SF and other ops guys carry them whenever possible. We were so highly restricted on what we carried to A-stan that there was no way for us to get our "usual" weapons over. Including the Baby Browning .25 that I used to tape to my inner thigh if I knew we were going somewhere particularly dangerous. I know that sounds James bondish, but some Muslim dudes are funny about touching your crotch so there's a chance they may not search there. It made me feel a little better, ok, and a little James bondish. ;-)


Arg: I repeat above recommendation, TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN. Sweat more in training, bleed less in battle baby!

[irra!]

Chechen fighters infiltrate into Iraq



Baghdad, Iraq, Jun. 20 (UPI) -- More than 300 Chechen guerrillas arrived secretly in Iraq to carry out attacks against coalition forces, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Sunday.

The news service quoted British intelligence sources as saying the Chechen guerrillas -- trained in Afghanistan by the al Qaida terrorist organization -- crossed the border into Iraq Friday night and Saturday morning.

According to intelligence sources the guerrillas were sent to attack coalition forces, and one of their targets was the Italian contingent in Nassiriya.

There have long been reports of ties between Osama bin Laden's al Qaida and Chechen separatist fighters in the predominantly Islamic Russian province of Chechnya.

[intelligenzija]

can you post the link please?

[irra!]

can you post the link please?

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20040620-012012-6435r.htm

[ibstolidude]

Lol, whenever someone experiences hard resistance in a Muslim country, it's either the Chechens, Uzbeks or suicidal terrorists. In other words they are trying to say, "there's nothing we could do against such reknowned fighters."
yeah - like the syrians - it couldn't be the syrian passports and ID's we keep finding