Deadly retaliation by Kiwi SAS troops revealed

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Wed, 20 Apr 2011 6:04p.m. LATEST 10:03PM

By Charlotte Shipman with additional reporting by NZPA

The Government has confirmed New Zealand's elite Special Air Service (SAS) troops were involved in a counter-attack on the men who are thought to have killed 28-year-old Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell in Afghanistan last year.

Lt O'Donnel died last August after his patrol in north-east Bamiyan province was attacked with explosives. He was the first New Zealand solider to be killed in the conflict.

Until now, actions after his death had been kept secret.

TVNZ's One News said the Government had confirmed that SAS troops stationed in Kabul were involved in hunting down the Taleban insurgents and 12 were believed to have died during the counter-attack.

They mobilised from their base in Kabul two weeks after Lt O'Donnell was killed and, with American assistance, launched a counter-attack in Baghlan Province.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said New Zealand was taking an active interest in the region and New Zealand forces "were involved".

"We have our special forces to be able to undertake military operations - that is part of their overall remit," he said.

"It is in the remit of the special forces to be able to undertake operations at the direction of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and Nato, and in this case, particularly, to protect our people."

Mr Mapp denies the attack was revenge.

Lt O'Donnell died on patrol in north-east Bamyan Province and it was believed insurgents who attacked the convoy had come in from neighbouring Baghlan Province, the report said.

The report said there had been claims civilians died in the counter-attack but Mr Mapp said they had proved to be false.

NZPA / 3 News

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Comments

22 Apr 2011 12:29a.m.

Paul wrote:

Islamic terror has to be wiped from the globe at any cost!, good on the army for hunting them down,

21 Apr 2011 04:28p.m.

L W wrote:

Of course the Media would say that they "hunted" them down. Thats what THEIR opinion of the situation is. The fact of the matter is that these insurgents have killed many before and it just so happens that they may have been responsible for the death of Tim O' Donnell. Even if they werent, The SAS have put a stop to them being able to kill again. And in saying that theyve put us Kiwis in Danger?.. We were always going to be. We arent a nation that stands back and doesnt get involved. We're always there to help. Thats what KIWIs do.

21 Apr 2011 07:25a.m.

Ruz wrote:

I don't know why the Government and the SAS are so keen to ensure that this "retaliation" exercise is not described as a "revenge" attack. It's apparent that it is exactly that so why the quibling over semantics?

21 Apr 2011 03:52a.m.

dave wrote:

"and with American assistance"- so it was the yanks then....

21 Apr 2011 03:15a.m.

Kiwi K wrote:

Lets look at this in real terms without patriotism involved. They kill 1 of ours, we kill 12 of theirs, remembering we are in their country, so, they place a bomb in the Bee-Hive or fly a plane into a building. The vicious cycle continues.

20 Apr 2011 11:00p.m.

Jill wrote:

Now NZ is on terrorist target list! Well done SAS and all those brain-washed supporters, instead of protecting this country, you just put all kiwis in danger.

20 Apr 2011 09:39p.m.

Ignacio wrote:

For all those naive people. Wars are messy, and they bring the worst of people, you kill one of mine, I kill two of yours!!. Insurgents, same as terrorists don't follow codes, no uniforms, they are cowards who hide amongst innocent civilians to just attack and go!.

Well killed, all fo them..it is war after all, and whoever kills more of the other side wins, isnt it?

20 Apr 2011 08:19p.m.

M M wrote:

James, I never speculated on whether or not it was retaliation. There was nothing to agree or disagree with there. My point is that they secured the area. Which is good.

20 Apr 2011 07:58p.m.

Uts wrote:

So how is that "War on Terror" going? Something tells me if we keep supporting an empire that invades other countries we could well end up on the list for the next attack. How's that for some big picture understanding Jax?

20 Apr 2011 07:57p.m.

Ruz wrote:

Sounds like a revenge attack to me. TV3 tonight said that the SAS hunted down the 12 insurgents who they think were responsible for O'Donnell's death.