US calls in Paras for Baghdad secret war
By Thomas Harding
Defence Correspondent
04/24/06 "The
Telegraph" - -- British paratroopers secretly
operating in support of the SAS in Iraq are using American
uniforms, weapons and vehicles as part of their cover, The Daily
Telegraph has learned.
Although John Reid, the Defence Secretary, only announced this
week that the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) had become
operational, a company of more than 100 paratroopers has been
working for six months in Baghdad. They have reportedly become
so successful that American special forces have called on their
help.
The SFSG was formed mainly because it was found that small
groups of highly trained SAS troopers did not have enough
firepower to take on large groups of Iraqi and Afghan
terrorists. The unit has already seen a substantial amount of
action in Baghdad.
Whenever the SAS goes on raids to apprehend terrorists in highly
dangerous areas of Baghdad, the Paras are used to provide
perimeter security.
Arriving in US Humvees, dressed in American army fatigues and
armed with C7 Diemaco guns - a Canadian made version of the M16,
the men have fought several battles with insurgents while
protecting SAS colleagues.
"The SAS are doing the smash and grab but all the contacts are
happening on the perimeter and there are a serious amount of
rounds going down the range," a Parachute Regiment source said.
"They are making a really good name for themselves with the
Hereford blokes and the Americans. If the shit hits the fan and
the SAS need them, the boys are there as a quick reaction
force."
The troops were also believed to have been used to provide a
security cordon as part of Task Force Maroon when the SAS
rescued the peace campaigner Norman Kember and two other
hostages.
The troops deployed to Baghdad at the end of last year after
undergoing specialist training at the SAS headquarters in
Hereford, including the use of American weapons and equipment.
"They wear US uniforms so they can blend in in Baghdad where a
British paratrooper would stick out and draw unwanted
attention," an intelligence source said.
"But they don't have their hair cuts 'high and tight', don't
strut around like Americans and are certainly not trying to
speak with American accents. They are loving it with all the
American kit, and you can't keep them out of the PX shop [US
military duty-free shops]."
The SFSG is mainly based on the 500 men of the 1 Bn The
Parachute Regiment supplemented by a company of about 100 Royal
Marines and a similar number of men from the RAF Regiment.
The group is based at St Athan, near Cardiff
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