Reporter's Notebook: Endless Supply of Insurgents in Afghanistan
The endless search for bad guys goes on and on.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Paktika Province, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2010— -- At 3 a.m., when a frigid wind blew through a moonlit sky, several dozen bundled up soldiers stood shivering on the flight line.
"Sergeant Roberts," barked Sergeant First Class Jamal Jenkins, a platoon leader taking roll call. "Here Sergeant!" came the reply.
Members of 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment jostled for position in the airlift line hoping to avoid the front of the Chinook near the open window where the gunner sits.
It's the coldest place in the helicopter.
Eventually the twin-rotor choppers came roaring in, kicking up a hurricane of gravel and dust. The troops ran toward them, welcoming the intimidating blast of heat they emit.
A few minutes later the troops scampered down the ramp onto dusty, rocky terrain at 8,700 feet in the middle of nowhere. Actually it's some of the most restive turf in the country.
Rural Paktika Province abuts North Waziristan in Pakistan, where militants fighting in this country maintain their hideouts.
They pass unseen through the mountains to wage an unyielding battle with troops trying to secure this country.
The 101st Airborne Division, in charge of eastern Afghanistan, estimates its troops have captured or killed 3,500 insurgents this year. There are estimated to be twice that waiting to join the fight, a seemingly unending supply.
The battalion had some intelligence that enemy fighters were staying in a remote village made of mud and straw.
This pre-dawn endeavor, known as an air assault mission because the troops get dropped into a location as opposed to driven in through potentially bomb-laden terrain, was meant to capture the bad guys.
"What the enemy likes to do is take these areas and exploit them and use them as safe havens," said Lt. Col. Dave Womack, battalion commander. "We're trying to disrupt that."
It's freezing. Under the cover of darkness the troops surrounded the village, sealing exits and entrances. They peer through night-vision goggles and step with their guns ready, taking a knee whenever they stop.
Related Stories
ABC News Live