Guest
Helmand, Afghanistan, July-August 2006. British Pathfinders and Danish Bornholm Scouts fight for 31 days against Taliban from the besieged district headquarters in Musa Qala. Operation Barabar has the purpose of relieving a British unit in Musa Qala. With the 1st Light Reconnaisance Squadron of the Reconnaisance Battalion on Bornholm as the spear point, the Danes must ensure security and stability in the area, so the reconstruction and development can begin. However, things go completely different. The soldiers encounter a Taliban stronghold, and the next five weeks, the force finds itself in the longest fights any Danish unit has participated in since 1864. The 3rd Reconnaisance Battalion of the Guard Hussar Regiment has been the spearpoint of the Danish Army for the last 20 years. They are arguably the most “elite“ unit in the conventional Danish Army and has on multiple occasions worked closely together with special forces. They are also informally known as “the scouts“. They function as light mounted reconnaisance and operate from MOWAG Eagle armoured cars. For people interested in the Danish involvement in Musa Qala, I can recommend the book “The Tigers and The Taliban: Risking Everything for Afghanistan“ by Lars Ulslev Johannesen, who was the Danish recon squadron commander. Published by the Danish Defence in 2017
