# Norwegian troops in combat in Afghanistan



## Zapp Brannigan (Nov 5, 2007)

Norwegian troops, along with Afghan soldiers and police, fought against the Taliban today in northwest Afghanistan.  This was apparently the first hard combat of an operation which began last Friday. I can't find anything in the English language media about it, but here are some links in Norwegian with pictures):

http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article2085970.ece?service=print



> *Norske styrker i harde kamper i Afghanistan*
> I dag har norske styrker vært involvert i harde kamper i Afghanistan. ISAF-styrkene kjempet mot en større gruppe opprørere.
> 
> Kampene skal ha funnet sted flere steder i Ghowrmach-distriktet i Afghanistan i dag.
> ...


Basically, "Norwegian forces in hard combat in Afghanistan: Today Norwegian forces were involved in hard combat in Afghanistan.  ISAF forces fought with a larger group of rebels.  The fighting took place in several locations in the Ghowrmach district of Afghanistan.  The armed forces informed _Aftenposten_ that the combat began at 13:30 local time today, and lasted for a half an hour.  The fighting was described as being the hardest encounter that Norwegian soldiers in Afghanistan have been in."  

http://www.mil.no/start/article.jhtml?articleID=147374

The second article from the official Norwegian armed forces website has basically the same information as the _Aftenpost_ article.  There is a quote from the Norwegian ISAF contingent commander, Colonel Ivar Magne Sakserud, who characterized it thusly:"Det er ingen i avdelingen som ikke opplever dette som krig." ("There is no one in the contingent who doesn't consider this as war").  

A nice counterpoint to a statement a while back from someone in the Norwegian government that the Norwegian armed forces could no longer be considered capable of warfighting due to cuts in manpower and budgets.


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## Zapp Brannigan (Nov 8, 2007)

One Norwegian soldier killed and one seriously wounded this evening by a roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan.

http://www.mil.no/start/article.jhtml?articleID=147537


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## Crusader74 (Nov 8, 2007)

Rest in Peace..Highest respect for the Norwegian Troops..Served in Lebanon with them..


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## tova (Nov 8, 2007)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


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## RackMaster (Nov 8, 2007)

RIP.  I met a few in Kabul, very good soldiers.


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## Pete031 (Nov 8, 2007)

RIP... They are fighting the good fight.


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## Crusader74 (Nov 8, 2007)

Videos (from what appears to be a staged PR-event):


Training1:http://lp.aftenposten.no/ego/Hovedfe...id=7290&cat=22

Training2:http://lp.aftenposten.no/ego/Hovedfe...id=7291&cat=22


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## Operator (Jan 2, 2008)

This shows that regular norwegian forces doesnt get much trouble in afghan, unlike f.ex the americans and canadians, fighting frontside south in the country.

This incident proves that we are capable of actually fighting. 
The americans has asked norwegian forces directly to help them share the heavy fighting in the south, but has gotten a clear no from norwegian left-winged politicians. 


Lately FSK has been ordered to be more viewable to the public Irish, hence all the sudden PR appearances. Those videos are taken just outside Rena in Norway and includes operators from FSK´s green squadron.


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## Mikko1208 (Jan 2, 2008)

...and so you keep sitting in the north with Finns. I don`t know what is the problem with us scandinavians.


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