A U.S. Outpost Under Fire In Afghanistan

A U.S. Outpost Under Fire In Afghanistan (NSI News Source Info) October 22, 2008: Since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001, the northern part of the border with Pakistan has been a particular focus of concern for American forces. The borderline there is essentially a legal fiction, an imaginary line that separates people with the same ethnicity and history, drawn across hundreds of miles of terrain so rugged it is impossible to fence off or even fully patrol. Here, one of a number of United States soldiers from the Sixth Squadron, Fourth Cavalry, left Combat Outpost Lowell near Kamu to replace soldiers at a hillside "overwatch" position. Because the majority of the attack was being directed at the adjacent overwatch position, the soldiers stayed on alert and provided cover for the combat outpost below.

Because the overwatch positions are close to one another, it was difficult to tell which high position was being fired upon.

The soldiers rushed for cover and took up defensive positions. Insurgents are able to move largely undetected due to the mountainous terrain.

Just as the soldiers reached the overwatch position, insurgents fired small arms and rocket-propelled grenades into the area. The purpose of these smaller, higher positions is to provide cover and eyes over the main combat outpost. Without these positions, the combat outpost would be more susceptible to attack.

Soldiers returned from overwatch positions to the main combat outpost below, where they are provided with electricity, hot meals and running water.

An American soldier kept watch from a bunker. Such attacks are a daily occurrence in the area.

American soldiers assessed the situation. It is common for the insurgents to attack from several positions simultaneously.