Special Operations Forces

Kalashnikov, Making Electric Motorcycles for Russian Military

Kalashnikov, the name immediately brings thoughts of one of the most iconic weapons of the last 60 years. But the manufacturers of Russia’s famous AK-47 military rifles and their variants are branching out. The company recently demonstrated an electric motorcycle that will be used for Russia’s military as well as their police.

The new motorcycle is being manufactured as a dirt bike and as a street machine to be used by Russian police forces

Kalashnikov Group announced that 50 of the police motorcycles will be used by law enforcement during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as reported by Lanesplitter. The police model has a range of 150 kilometers, or about 93 miles, according to Kalashnikov, and the bikes are being built by Russian motorcycle manufacturer IZH, a subsidiary of Kalashnikov.
Other than that, not much is known about the technical specifications of the new bikes. You can watch a video from Kalashnikov of a cool rider with no helmet and a bandana hopping on the military version of the electric bike and cruising over some mild off-road terrain.

Electric dirt bikes have several advantages, especially for Special Operations units. They are much quieter and are lighter. The United States is currently developing a “stealth-type” dirt bike that can either operate in battery mode or as a multi-fuel combustion engine that can operate like a normal dirt bike or generate electricity.

To read the entire article from Popular Mechanics, click here:

Photo courtesy Kalashnikov

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Prep 10.19.2017

Back to the gym on Thursday morning for a Chest and Triceps workout before heading out for a 4-mile run. Look to better the standard of 32 minutes. Remember to stretch well before and after and to stay hydrated. Mark your progress down in your workout log book.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Bench Press

3 x 10 Dumbbell Flies

3 x 10 Dumbbell Incline press

3 x 20 Pushups (alternate sets with wide, narrow and shoulder width)

3 x 10 ‘V’ Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

4-mile run (32 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

GSG-9 Storms Lufthansa Flight 181 in Somalia, Frees 86 Hostages

Forty years ago today on October 18, 1977, West German counter-terrorist commandos from the GSG-9 stormed a hijacked airliner in Mogadishu, Somalia during Operation Fire Magic (Feuerzauber) and freed 86 hostages and took down the terrorists after five days of airport hopping thru Europe and the Middle East.

On October 13, four terrorists onboard Lufthansa Flight 181, a Boeing 737-230 aircraft named Landshut hijacked the aircraft about 30 minutes after takeoff en route from Palma de Mallorca to Frankfurt. The plane was piloted by Jürgen Schumann, with co-pilot Jürgen Vietor. Both were former German military pilots, Schumann with the German Air Force, was an F-104 pilot, and Vietor was a German Navy aviator.

The four terrorists, comprised of two men and two women were from the terror group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who called themselves Commando Martyr Halima. That was in honor of one of their own, Brigitte Kuhlmann, a terrorist who had been killed in the Israeli operation at Entebbe in 1976.

The terrorists were all young, between 22-23 years of age.Their leader was a Palestinian named Zohair Youssif Akache who called himself “Captain Martyr Mahmoud”. The other three were another Palestinian, Suhaila Sayeh and two Lebanese, Wabil Harb and Hind Alameh.

Hijacking and Airport Hopping: About 30 minutes after their 1100 hrs takeoff from Palma de Mallorca and approximately over Marseilles, Akache/Mahmoud burst into the cockpit with a pistol and ordered the co-pilot, Vietor, out and to join the other passengers. He then ordered Schumann to fly to Cyprus. Schumann told Mahmud that they didn’t have enough fuel, that they’d have to stop in Rome.

Once on the ground in Rome, the Red Army Faction, operating in concert with the hijackers, had kidnapped a German industrialist, Hanns Martin Schleyer five weeks earlier demanded the release of 10 Red Army Faction terrorists held in prison in Stuttgart, and two Palestinians held in Turkey along with $15 million dollars U.S.

German officials, speaking with the Italian government, specifically Interior Minister Francesco Cossiga, suggested that the Italians shoot out the tires of the aircraft to keep it in Rome. Cossiga was already facing several outbreaks of unrest in Italy and was considered a hard-line strongman. But in this case, much like a situation that would play out less than 10 years later with the Achille Lauro, the Italians decided that to let someone else handle the problem. The plane was refueled and took over at 1745 hrs without being granted air traffic control clearance.

Flight 181 landed in Larnaca, in Cyprus just prior to 2030 hrs. A local PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) official met the plane at the airport and began talking with Mahmoud over the radio. The PLO urged Mahmud to release the hostages. This infuriated the young terrorist, who began screaming at the PLO official over the radio. He then ordered the plane be refueled or he would blow it up. Then the plane took off at 2250 hrs en route to Beirut. But it was then the chaos ensued. The plane was denied permission to land at Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad, Kuwait, Mahmoud ordered the pilots to fly them to Bahrain. Once again the plane was refused permission to land. But Schumann told the air traffic control that they had insufficient fuel to fly elsewhere and they were given landing instructions. They touched down at 0152 hrs on the 14th.

Upon landing, soldiers surrounded the plane, which further infuriated Mahmoud. He threatened to shoot the copilot unless the troops were withdrawn. After taking on more fuel, the plane was off once again to Dubai.

Officials in Dubai blocked the runways with trucks and fire engines and denied Flight 181 permission to land. Schumann informed the tower that they were going to land regardless and made a low pass over the airport. The airport moved the obstacles on the runway and the plane touched down at 0540 hrs.

In Dubai, Mahmoud demanded the government service the aircraft, and bring food water, medicine and newspapers onboard. Schumann passed the word to the authorities that there were four terrorists in all, two men and two women. Mahmoud, once he became aware of this, pistol-whipped Schumann and threatened to kill him.

The plane was stuck there as the Dubai authorities stalled as long as they could. The West German minister responsible for the hijacking, Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski and Colonel Ulrich Wegener, commander of the GSG 9, had arrived in Dubai and convinced the government to allow the commandos to storm the plane.

In 1977, there were very few counter-terrorist units in existence. Germany learned the hard lessons from the disaster at Munich in 1972 that such a force was needed. Wegener was tasked with putting theirs together. In those days two of the only units operational were the British SAS and the Israeli Sayeret Matkal. Delta Force, America’s first counter-terrorist unit hadn’t yet been created, they would be founded a month later and not be operational until much later.

Wegener trained with both units extensively learning the tips of the trade from both of those organizations. One interesting fact was that Wegener was involved with Israeli operation at Entebbe just the year before where they rescued hostages at the airport. Wegener was part of a small group who went to Entebbe before the raid to gather as much intelligence as possible before the raid took place. He was smart and had plenty of experience to carry this off.

Conditions in the aircraft were getting bad, there was a time where they lost electricity and temperatures soared in the cabin.GSG-9 with 30 commandos and two British SAS operators landed in Dubai where they conducted a dry-run of the operation they were about to conduct.

Government attempts to stall further were dashed when Mahmoud, now with the aircraft refueled took off suddenly on a course for Oman just after midnight on the 17th of October. The plane was denied landing permission and made for Aden. The authorities in Aden also refused Flight 181 permission to land and blocked the runways with vehicles. Schumann realized they were nearly out of fuel and landed on a sand strip immediately adjacent to the runway. Authorities told Mahmoud they would have to leave immediately. But Schumann was concerned about the state of the landing gear after the dirt landing. Mahmoud allowed the pilot to exit the aircraft to check on the status of the gear and the engines. While on the ground, Schumann tried to convince authorities to not allow the plane to leave. Mahmoud was getting increasingly irrational and threatened to blow the plane and the hostages up. As soon as Schumann reentered the cabin, he was forced to kneel on the floor where Mahmoud shot in the head, killing him instantly. By 0600 hrs the plane was refueled and took off for Mogadishu, Somalia.

Upon arriving in Mogadishu, Mahmoud told the copilot Vietor that he was free to go. But he and the other crew of Lufthansa opted to remain with the passengers. Mahmoud then dumped Schumann’s body out on the tarmac and told Somali authorities that they had until 1600 hrs to release the Red Army Faction prisoners or they would blow up the plane. Mahmoud and the other terrorists began to dump alcohol over the passengers as a precursor to setting them and the aircraft on fire. The German government then sent a message to Mahmoud that they agreed to their demands but that the plane bringing the Red Army prisoners to Mogadishu wouldn’t arrive until 0230 hrs on October 18. Mahmoud agreed to the extension. The Somali government gave the go-ahead for GSG-9 to land in Mogadishu, which they did, blacked out to avoid detection at 2000 hrs. The stage was set for the Germans to act.

The Assault: The Germans arrived and spent the next four hours unloading their equipment and finalizing their assault plans. There would be six assault teams led by Wegener and his second in command, Major Klaus Blatte. They would approach the aircraft from the rear, the blind spot. The assault was to begin at 0200.

Somali authorities filled Mahmoud with a false sense of security by radioing false status reports of the “flight” of Red Army prisoners en route to Mogadishu. At 0200, Mahmoud was radioed that the flight took off from Cairo after refueling and was on the way. That was one of the final actions to distract him from the attack which was about to begin. The other was from Somali soldiers who lit a huge bonfire 65 yards in front of the aircraft. That final distraction brought Mahmoud and two other terrorists into the cockpit to see what was going on.

At 0205 hrs, the Germans using blacked out aluminum ladders began climbing up the fuselage. Despite the ladders having rubber ends to quiet the noise, they were still a bit noisy. The Germans discovered (how we may never know) that K-Y jelly applied to the rubber at the top would muffle any noise of the ladder.

Wegener led the group opening the forward door, Sergeant Major Dieter Fox and Sergeant Joachim Huemmer opened the emergency doors over the wings at precisely the exact same time. The German commandos screamed in German for the passengers and crew to hit the floor. The Germans killed two of the terrorists with gunfire, Wabil Harb, and Hind Alameh. Alameh the female Lebanese terrorist, tried to hide as a passenger, but hostages pointed her out and a German commando put two rounds in her head.

Mahmoud was shot but managed to throw a grenade that landed under a seat and absorbed most of the blast. He died a short time later. The fourth terrorist and second female, Suhaila Sayeh was wounded and disarmed. One commando was wounded in the action. Three passengers and one flight crew member were slightly injured in the shootout.

The aircraft’s emergency chutes were deployed and the passengers and crew were evacuated as quickly as possible. At 0212, just five minutes after the assault began the Germans sent the codeword, “Frühlingszeit! Frühlingszeit!” (“Springtime! Springtime!”), which signified that the operation was successful. Moments later Wegener sent the laconic message to the German government in Bonn, “Four opponents down – hostages free – four hostages slightly wounded – one commando slightly wounded”.

The crew and passengers of Flight 181 were flown back to Germany and given a hero’s welcome that afternoon.

Aftermath, Suicides, Murder: Once the word got out about the successful assault on the airliner, the blowback was immediate. Many members of the world condemned the Germans for the risky assault. Many of these were the same ones who criticized the Germans for their lack of action in Munich in 1972.

Members of the Red Army Faction in prison also known as the Baader-Meinhoff Gang, Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin and Jan-Carl Raspe committed suicide at JVA Stuttgart-Stammheim prison. Red Army Faction member Irmgard Möller also attempted suicide by stabbing herself in the chest several times but survived her injuries.

The day after the assault on October 19, the body of Hanns-Martin Schleyer, who had been kidnapped by the Red Army more than a month before the hijacking, was found in the trunk of a car. Once the Red Army Faction heard of the deaths of their comrades, he was murdered as he could no longer be used as a bargaining chip. The Red Army Faction tipped off the Paris newspaper Libération to announce his execution. He had been killed the day prior, probably as soon as they heard of the successful plane assault.

The Germans announced that they would no longer negotiate with terrorists after this latest incident, unlike two earlier hijackings. Irmgard Möller was released from prison in 1995. Now 70, she lives in anonymity.

_________

Many thanks to my friend, “The Silver Fox”. Before there was a Delta Force, the US Army Special Forces had a liaison senior NCO embedded in the GSG-9. He was there for about five years until 1980 when he returned to the states. He provided some nice information on the GSG-9 and the people. But was quick to point out, that he wasn’t in the Mog. “No I didn’t get to go…that was a good mission.”

But upon his return, he returned to 7th SFG (A) and never joined the unit. Once I asked him why, since it would have been an easy fit. “Arrogance on my part,” was the quick answer. “I had been operational for about five years, and they, at that time were the newcomers. I didn’t feel like I needed to go to Selection, as I thought I was better trained at that time,” he said. “And there was no way in hell, they were letting me in the door without going to Selection….So I went to 732.”

Photos: Wikipedia

Air Force CCT Receives Air Force Cross For Valor in Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Richard Hunter, a Special Tactics combat controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, was awarded the Air Force’s highest medal, the Air Force Cross, for gallantry against an armed enemy of the U.S. in combat.

Hunter was a CCT assigned to a Special Forces A-Team from the 10^th SFG (A) in Afghanistan in November 2016 when along with Afghan allies, they were ambushed by a vastly superior numerical force. The troops were taking fire from an arc of 270 degrees and the quick actions of Hunter along with the SF A-team members saved the day.

Finding themselves trapped in the village, and in a dire situation, Hunter and his team withstood an enemy ambush of grenades and machine gun fire, resulting in four friendly force injuries.
Hunter charged forward under enemy fire, leaving cover to drag a wounded teammate back with one hand, while using his free hand to call in suppressive fire through close air support from the Spooky 43 crew overhead.
“At this point, [the team] is dragging [casualties] down the alleyway while still returning fire, and we’re using all of our weapons on the aircraft to destroy fighting positions and buildings … all within about 12 meters of Staff Sgt. Hunter,” said Maj. Alexander Hill, aircraft commander of Spooky 43. “We told Hunter to put his head down, and we fired closer than I think anyone’s ever fired an air-burst round.”
As the Spooky 43 crew received the calls from Hunter on the ground for the firepower necessary to deter the enemy, they were required to exceed cooling requirements on the 105-mm Howitzer cannon, risking potential detonation inside the aircraft. With their expert skill and coordination, the crew was able to support the ground forces with the 40-mm cannon and at times forced to manually fire rounds called on by Hunter to defeat the enemy.
According to Hill, the crew actively fired every weapon available to them for 107 consecutive minutes during the battle.

Hunter received his award from the Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida on October 17. While the actions of Hunter during the battle killed an estimated 26 Taliban and wounded close to the same amount, it was the lives that he saved that Hunter and the troops he fought with will remember. Another version of the story can be read here:

To read the entire article from DVIDSHUB.net, click here:

Photo courtesy US Air Force

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation 10.18.2017

Wednesday is a back and shoulder day at the gym followed by a 6-mile rucksack march, 90-minute minimum. Look to better the time that is the standard and remember to hydrate throughout the march. Don’t forget to mark your progress in the workout log book and stay hydrated.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

6-mile Rucksack march (45-pound minimum, 90-minute minimum)

Stretch well after completion

October 16, 1859, John Brown Raided the Arsenal at Harpers Ferry

On this day in 1859, the abolitionist John Brown and a group of over 20 men, raided the US Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) in an attempt to start a slave uprising and destroy slavery in the United States.

His plan would fail and Brown would ultimately be hanged his actions, even while considered foolish by even the most fervent anti-slavery people in the north was generally approved of by most on the northern side of the Mason-Dixon Line. It showed how deeply divided this country had become and soon the nation would be thrust into Civil War. While his plan failed, his ultimate aim, to erase slavery would come to fruition just a few years later.

Brown was born in Connecticut but was raised in Springfield, Massachusetts as well as Ohio. He was raised in a very strict Calvinist, anti-slavery household. Brown in his early life had tried…and failed at several business ventures. He had as many as 20 lawsuits against him when he claimed bankruptcy. But all of that changed once Brown attended an anti-slavery meeting in 1842. That thought would consume him the rest of his days. Reportedly, he planned on conducting a slave insurrection as early as 1848.

Brown went from the planning and talking phase to taking an active role in hostilities. After having moved to Kansas, Brown, his sons and others retaliated for a pro-slavery raid in Lawrence, Kansas in 1856. Looking for blood, Brown and his men crossed the Pottawatomie Creek and attacked three family cabins, murdering five men with swords. These actions kicked off a summer of guerrilla-style attacks that would present an omen of what was to come in the area for several years.

He moved back east and dreamed a grandiose plan of igniting a slave insurrection. He secured the backing of six influential anti-slavery abolitionists who became known as the “Secret Six” His raiding party grew to a 22-man assault team and would consist of himself, five free Blacks and his three sons. His Harpers Ferry mission became a reality.

The Raid Plan: Brown and his men rented a small farm 4 miles away in Dargan, Maryland in the name of Isaac Smith and waited to raid the arsenal until they were ready. He tried to recruit Frederick Douglass as a liaison with the slaves they hoped to free and arm. Douglass declined, believing that Brown was making a futile attempt. Brown’s plan was “an attack on the federal government” that “would array the whole country against us.” “You will never get out alive,” he said to Brown to no avail.

Brown was well-armed with 198 breech-loading .52 caliber Sharps carbines and 950 pikes that Northern abolitionists furnished him. The arsenal, one of six for the United States Army and had about 100,000 muskets and rifles. Brown didn’t plan on raiding the arsenal and melting away into the mountains. His plan was to use the weapons they would take in the raid and lead an uprising of slaves in the area (up to 250 he believed would join his force) and lead them into Tennessee and perhaps all the way to Alabama.

The small farmhouse was crowded and the men kept indoors during daylight hours. His daughter and daughter-in-law would cook and keep watch. The men would only leave the house in darkness to drill. He was convinced the slaves would flock to his banner and fight the slaveholders of the area. He was wrong.

The Raid on Harpers Ferry: On the night of October 16, Brown set off with his plan. He left four men as a rearguard at the farm, including one of his sons. He sent a small detachment under John Cook Jr. to grab capture Colonel Lewis Washington, great-grandnephew of George Washington, at his Beall-Air estate and take him hostage. Brown also wanted some of his slaves, and two relics of General George Washington, a sword allegedly presented to Washington by Frederick the Great and two pistols that were given by Marquis de Lafayette. Brown considered these two prizes as talismans.

The rest of the men went with him into Harpers Ferry where initially things went well. The raiders captured several night watchmen, cut the telegraph wires, and grabbed a train that had pulled into the station. The first casualty of the raid was a harbinger of the bad things to come. In a cruel twist of fate, Hayward Shepherd, a free black man was working as a baggage handler on the train was shot and killed by the raiders. Brown let the train continue on, believing that word of their raid would ignite the slaves in the area, with them rushing to his aid…he was wrong again.

Brown’s men were able to take the armory although the townspeople were beginning to array against him.

On October 17, the local militia was alerted and captured the bridge across the Potomac. Brown’s escape route was cut. The locals and militia soon were pushing around the armory in an attempt to surround the raiders. The shooting began and four civilians, including Harpers Ferry’s mayor, were killed.

Realizing his situation was becoming hopeless, Brown took nine hostages and moved into the small engine house, which later became known as John Brown’s Fort. He and his men barricaded the doors and windows and began sporadic gunfire with the militia. Brown sent his son Watson and another man out with a white flag for an official parlay. The militia was having none of it and shot them down, mortally wounding Watson and taking the other man, Aaron Dwight Stevens prisoner. During the following firing, Brown’s other son, Oliver was also mortally wounded and would die the next day. One of his men, William Leeman, just 20 years old, panicked and tried to swim the Potomac to safety. He was killed without getting far.

A second militia company arrived at 1500 hrs and freed the hostages (about 24) from the guardroom while suffering eight men wounded. By 1530 hrs, President James Buchanan had ordered Marines (the closest Federal troops) to Harpers Ferry to put down the raid. Under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee, who was on leave from Texas with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Lee arrived with the Marines to take charge of the situation. Accompanying Lee was another officer who would also gain fame in the Civil War, for the Confederacy. Lt. J.E.B. Stuart was assigned to the new 1st Cavalry in the west. He was under the command of John Sedgwick, who would be the highest ranking officer killed in the upcoming Civil War. Stuart had designed a new saber attachment for the cavalry and was given a patent. Sedgwick granted him leave so that Stuart could sell his patent to the Army. When Stuart heard what was going on in Harpers Ferry, he volunteered as the aide de camp for Lee, an officer at that time, he had never met. But the two would be inexorably intertwined in the war soon after.

On the morning of the 18th, Lee sent Stuart under a white flag to offer Brown’s men a chance to surrender. If they refused, the Marines under the command of Lt. Greene were to attack the small engine house. Brown refused to surrender and walking away, Stuart waved his cap signaling their refusal. Greene’s men stormed the small engine house and Brown and the remaining surviving raiders were taken prisoner.

Lee sent an after-action report to Washington, stating that Brown was “a madman” and that the plan to raid the arsenal was that of a madman. Lee also exonerated the blacks and slaves in Brown’s presence stating, “The blacks, whom he (Brown) forced from their homes in this neighborhood, as far as I could learn, gave him no voluntary assistance.”

A letter that Stuart wrote to his mother after the incident gave some incredible insight into what happened. Some historians argued that it was Stuart who led the attack on the final fort of Brown’s. Stuart quickly put that to rest and his recollections to his mother could be from really any time frame.

Colonel Lee was sent to command the forces at Harper’s Ferry. I volunteered as his aid. I had no command whatever. The United States Marines are a branch of the naval force,–there was not an enlisted man of the army on hand. Lieutenant Green was sent in command. Major Russell had been requested by the Secretary of the Navy to accompany the marines, but, being a paymaster, could exercise no command; yet it was his corps. For Colonel Lee to have put me in command of the storming party would have been an outrage to Lieutenant Green, which would have rung through the navy for twenty years. As well might they send him out here to command my company of cavalry ….
      I, too, had a part to perform, which prevented me in a measure from participating in the very brief onset made so gallantly by Green and Russell, well backed by their men. I was deputed by Colonel Lee to read to the leader, then called Smith, a demand to surrender immediately; and I was instructed to leave the door after his refusal, which was expected, and wave my cap; at which signal the storming party was to advance, batter open the doors, and capture the insurgents at the point of the bayonet. Colonel Lee cautioned the stormers particularly to discriminate between the insurgents and their prisoners.
      I approached the door in the presence of perhaps two thousand spectators, and told Mr. Smith that I had a communication for him from Colonel Lee. He opened the door about four inches, and placed his body against the crack, with a cocked carbine in his hand: hence his remark after his capture that he could have wiped me out like a mosquito. The parley was a long one. He presented his propositions in every possible shape, and with admirable tact; but all amounted to this: that the only condition upon which he would surrender was that he and his party should be allowed to escape. Some of his prisoners begged me to ask Colonel Lee to come and see him. I told them he would never accede to any terms but those he had offered; and as soon as I could tear myself away from their importunities I left the door and waved my cap, and Colonel Lee’s plan was carried out ….
      When Smith first came to the door I recognized old Osawatomie Brown, who had given us so much trouble in Kansas. No one present but myself could have performed that service. I got his bowie-knife from his person, and have it yet.
      The same day, about eleven or twelve o’clock, Colonel Lee requested me, as Lieutenant Green had charge of the prisoners and was officer of the guard, to take a few marines and go over to old Brown’s house, four and a half miles distant, in Maryland, and see what was there. I did so, and discovered the magazine of pikes, blankets, clothing, and utensils of every sort. I could only carry off the pikes, as I had but one wagon. The next day I was occupied in delivering the various orders of Colonel Lee, and in other duties devolving on an aid-de-camp. The night after, Colonel Lee, Green, and myself, with thirty marines, marched six miles and back on a false alarm among the inhabitants of a district called Pleasant Valley.
      The prisoners having been turned over to the United States Marshal, Colonel Lee and the marines were ordered back to Washington. I went with him, and this terminated my connection with the Harper’s Ferry affair.

Trial And Execution: John Brown was brought to Charles Town and was put on trial for treason against the State of Virginia. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. On the day of his execution, December 2, he wrote his final will where he stated an omen that would come true: ‘I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty, land: will never be purged away; but with Blood. I had as I now think: vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed; it might be done’

Four other raiders were executed on December 16, two more on March 16, 1860.

Photos: Wikipedia

Philippine Military Kills Islamists Isnilon Hapilon, Omar Maute

With the fighting in Marawi is drawing to a close, as Filipino military forces rout the remaining Islamist fighters holding onto the last footholds in the city, the military killed two of the leaders of the terrorists who have held Marawi since May 23. According to sources, army snipers killed both Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute in the fighting.

The fighting has been bloody in Marawi, with over 1000 dead, including 800 of the insurgents. But the army has kept the pressure on and the terrorists are now held in a small enclave which is expected to fall soon. Hapilon is on the US list of “most wanted terrorists”, was killed in the fighting during a pre-dawn attack along with another wanted militant, Omar Maute, the army said. Maute was one of two brothers who were head of the Maute Terror Group. His brother Abdullah is believed to have been killed in September.

“It will be just a matter of days before it will finally be declared that Marawi has been liberated from the clutches of terrorists,” army chief of staff General Eduardo Ano told a news conference. “There will be no let up.”
He held up photos of two bloodied faces he said were those of Hapilon and Maute, one of two brothers who head the region’s Maute insurgency group.
Hapilon was shot in the head and Maute died of a chest wound during a night-time operation, officials said. A freed hostage tipped off the authorities about their whereabouts.
Observers say the occupation of Marawi stoked fears that militant Islamist ideology is more prevalent on the island of Mindanao than had previously been imagined.
The region is the only Muslim-majority part of the otherwise largely Catholic Philippines.

With the terrorists holding just about 5 acres of Marawi, the military has to root out the remaining fighters, thought to contain 5-8 foreign fighters as well as about 30 civilians being held as hostages.

Besides the killing of Hapilon, the self-anointed “emir of the IS Caliphate” in Mindanao, the latest attack freed 17 hostages.

To read the entire article from BBC News, click here:

Photo courtesy Jack Murphy-SOFREP

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation 10.17.2017

Tuesday is our Leg Day at the gym followed by a 4-mile run. Begin with pull-ups and towel pull-ups or rope climbing if you have access to them. Then squats, lunges and the sled followed by a four-mile run

Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR

3 x Pullups 10 reps

3 x Towel pull-ups 10 reps

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

4 x Sled push (with a heavier weight) or Fireman’s Carry with a training partner

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 20 Side Planks

4-Mile run (32 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Get Your Rucksacks On for the Green Beret Foundation

I’m always leery about stumping for charities because far too often, you end up reading horror stories about misuse of funds and the hard-earned money that people give in good conscience to help those in need don’t end up going there. But there are two organizations that I will freely support without the slightest bit of compulsion about adding a caveat. One is the Annual HMEA 5K Walk/Run here in Massachusetts. HMEA is a tremendous organization that helps children and adults with disabilities and every year puts on a great event where 98 percent of the proceeds go to their programs.

I know this because after supporting it for several years, after the organization was a tremendous help to my son who was diagnosed with Autism at age 2, I became a member of the planning committee that puts on this event every year.

The other organization I’m speaking about and the purpose of this column is the Green Beret Foundation. The Green Beret Foundation is one of the many great organizations that have started up to take care of Special Operations warriors.

The Green Beret Foundation provides direct and continuous support to the Green Beret Community and its families. The Green Beret Foundation facilitates the transition of Green Berets and their families whether that transition is from wounds sustained in combat, illness, injury or “merely” from numerous deployments and/or retirement.

They provide casualty support for the Special Forces soldiers who are wounded in combat, extended support for those who are seriously injured and require a long rehabilitation program, family support and transition services for those warriors who are leaving the service. Over 88 percent of the monies raised goes to their programs. They have provided support to more than 2,515 Special Forces families since inception and have invested over $8M supporting our community.

The Foundation is constantly being recognized by the Regiment and USSOCOM for the outstanding work that they are doing for the members of the Special Forces who have been injured in the line of duty. While we were in Tampa for SOFIC, we had the opportunity to touch base with some of the great volunteers who give so much time for the troops. Especially Ms. Frances Arias who is well-known within the community.

The Foundation is recognized by the Regiment as a tremendous resource for the soldiers. So what is up with the Rucking for the GBF? Glad you asked.

The good people over at GORUCK are holding a fundraiser with all of the money raised being sent to the people at the Green Beret Foundation. And after the battle recently in Niger where four men of the 3rd Special Forces Group were killed and two others wounded, the need for support from the Foundation is even higher right now. The founder of GORUCK Jason McCarthy is a former Green Beret and serves on the GBF Board of Directors. The President Blayne Smith is also a former Green Beret, and over 75 Green Berets lead GORUCK Events.

GORUCK has created a fun and intriguing way to raise money for the Green Beret Foundation. The cornerstone for all Special Forces training is rucking and so everyone who gets involved in the fundraiser will be rucking for a great cause.

It is done in just three simple steps:

PRE-PURCHASE A PATCH THROUGH NOVEMBER 15 – Pledge miles & pre-order your patch online with GORUCK. Your donation amount is based on the distance you pledge to ruck: 5K, 10K, 13.1, 26.2, 50 miles, 75 miles, and 100 miles. T-shirts are also for sale with all proceeds benefiting Green Beret Foundation.
COMPLETE YOUR PLEDGED MILES – You choose the weight (we recommend 20-30 lbs.) and complete the distance whenever you want (you’re on the honor system). Don’t forget to tag all your social media posts with #RuckingForGBF so we can keep up with all the action.
GET YOUR GEAR – The beginning of December you will be rewarded for completing your miles and all patches and tees will be shipped. Shipping and handling fees for patches cover overhead and the cost of the patch in addition to shipping.

All of the money raised in this event will go to the Green Beret Foundation for use in taking care of our warriors. Many of our readers will remember the group of former Green Berets from the SF Brothers, a Facebook group who hiked the length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine to raise money for the GBF this summer. We had a piece on those men that you can read here: The former SFers hiked the entire 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail starting this spring and going thru until the summer. One of the brothers, Will Melton a former 7th SFG NCO hiked nearly 600 miles, over 25 percent of the trail by himself this spring/summer.

A couple of us here at SOFREP, Scott Witner from the Loadout Room and myself have already pledged miles as participants in the fundraiser. For those of you who follow our Special Operations Forces PT Prep workouts, it will be a fun way to pledge some miles to the brothers in the Regiment, while preparing to join their ranks. And the money goes to some really deserving people from the Special Forces community. Ones that really need our help after protecting all of us here.

So….who’s up for some rucking this week?

Photos: GORUCK, Green Beret Foundation

Islamic State Fighters Fleeing Raqqa as the Battle Nears the End

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have agreed to a proposal with the Islamic State that allows Syrian jihadists to leave the city of Raqqa in exchange for the release of civilians held captive by the ISIS group.

A statement released by SDF stated ISIS fighters are fleeing as the SDF has nearly totally captured Raqqa. The SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, on Saturday, launched what they deem their final assault against the remaining Islamic State fighters in the city, located in Northern Syria.

So far. Over 3000 civilians have fled the city as part of the evacuation agreement. Foreign fighters for ISIS are not covered in the agreement, however.

“Last night, the final batch of fighters (who agreed to leave) left the city,” said SDF spokesman Mostafa Bali, adding that no foreign fighters had left the city. The SDF later said in a statement that around 275 local fighters and their families had left as part of the deal.
“The final battle will continue until the entire city is cleansed of terrorists, who have refused to surrender,” the SDF said.
However, Omar Alloush, an official in the Raqqa Civilian Council, disputed the SDF’s claim and said a batch of foreign jihadists had also departed with the convoy of local militants.
The US had earlier protested a safe exit for the extremist group. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday the US would accept the surrender of IS militants who would be interrogated for intelligence purposes.
The tribal leaders said they appealed to the coalition and the SDF to allow IS fighters to leave the city to stem further violence.
“Because our aim is liberation, not killing, we appealed to the SDF to arrange for the local fighters and secure their exit to outside of the city with our guarantees,” the tribal chiefs said in a statement.

US statements from the Combined Joint Task Force did not support the freeing of ISIS or Daesh (the local term) fighters in any agreement. But the fight for Raqqa now is down to their final days. The IS also lost the Syrian town of Mayadeen to Syrian government forces that were backed by Russian airstrikes.

To read the entire article Deutsche Welle click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia