UK Special Forces Hostage Rescue in Afghanistan | September 2009
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2021
- In September 2009, the Special Boat Service, supported by Afghan soldiers and the Special Forces Support Group and flown in by American Chinooks, conducted an operation in Northern Afghanistan to rescue two men being held hostage.
This video is dedicated to the memory of Corporal John Harrison, 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, of the Special Forces Support Group.
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- The Pilgrimage, Ck Martin
- Reflection by Oliver Michael
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I was the captain that flew in the midnight hours to extract Farrell from Kunduz to Kabul.We first flew to Mazar, and waited there to pick him up in Kunduz.We left first light for Kunduz, picked him up and extract him to Kabul. Even though I am not a British citizen, me and my first Officer were commended by the then acting British Ambassedor Marc Sedwill in a thank you letter from the British Embassy. I still have that letter and felt very proud to be of assistance to the British government. Me and a couple of the pilots that flew the British Embassy personnel in Afghanistan later got a medal from Her Majesty in thanking us for our service to Britain,in which I was very proud to receive.
Thank you for your service, Captain. I can't imagine the bravery you must have displayed many times.
So a member of our armed forces gave his life to someone who recklessly went into an area he was not to go into. A tragedy for the soldier and his family who went to save a fool.
@LTrain45 45
The "Fools" are the political elite on both sides due to their inability to resolve conflicts through peaceful negotiation, and instead send young men and women to die.
I joined up as I needed a job and I could access skills and training I couldn't afford on Civvy Street. Despite the injuries i suffered when in theatre i still don't consider it a "Foolish" decision as upon being discharged I was able to embark on a new career which allows me to provide for my family.
I wouldn't necessarily call him a fool, he's a journalist after all, there are however truly stupid ppl that think everything bad said about certain groups of ppl must be "MIsunderstandings" and were subsequently proven wrong thr decapitations.
'So a member of our armed forces gave his life to someone who recklessly went into an area he was not to go into. '
The irony. Thats basically the afghan war. UK army should be in the UK. The uS army should be in the US.
@@billcar6805 ah so we just let people get raped and killed and we just act like it ain’t happening ?
@@adamatch9624 Its happening back home in uK and US anyway. If ya can't stop it up, who are you to invade another country to try and stop it.
RIP John, it was an honour to have served along side you brother.
Rest in Peace, Corporal Harrison. You are a credit to The Parachute Regiment, H.M. Forces and the U.K. 🇬🇧
Ex-Royal Engineers.
God bless you John, feast in the halls of Valhalla brother
4th ...
@@alanandconnielast i guess the others didn’t show
Someone been watching vikings
Thank you for posting this. Sincerely, a fmr. Night Stalker.
You guys use Apaches?
@@jose01099 probably modified ones.
@@jose01099 no apaches in the regiment. Attack pilots that go to regiment usually go to the AH-6 or the DAP.
@@richardpatton2502 160th soar is a u.s unit
No idea who you are but I admire you greatly, NSDQ✊🏼
A terrible story - four completely unnecessary deaths because some people will just not listen to what they are told.
Obviously no-one wants to be kidnapped, but your bravado can cost the lives of those sent to rescue you when it all goes tits up.
RIP Cpl. John Harrison
RIP Mohammad Munadi
RIP unnamed civilians.
"A later German investigation found that up to 142 people died in the attack, including over 100 Afghan civilian victims." That refers to the airstrike that Farrell was investigating, injustices like that absolutely need looking into. It's very unlikely that the families of the victims would have received any compensation for the deaths of their relatives without independent researches like Farrell, as german government officials initally tried to downplay the consequences of the airstrike. It took a significant amount of pressure to make them take responsibility, and even then the amount paid per victim was a laughable 5000€.
You do know that the American airstrike (that Farrell was to investigate) killed scores of innocent civilians right?
@@bld853 That does not justify him going to investigate in a province he has explicitly been told not to go to! just utter stupidity by the journalist! They should not have come for his rescue but sadly they are obligated to do so, that's my oppinion
@@DEV-et8vw Are you mad? He was literally investigating an attempted cover-up of a warcrime. Would you have rather it had stayed a secret?
Hang on....there was a huge number of us that said there would be immense loss of life if we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq but the government and military did it anyway.
Why didn't they do what they were told and stay the **** out of other people's countries? It's a Ministry of Defence, not a Ministry of Attacking Poor Countries Halfway Around The World.
If they proved themselves to be in any way trustworthy I suppose we might listen to what they say but given their long, long history of deception and attempting to cover up war crimes is it any surprise journalists take their instructions with a pinch of salt?
All these deaths are horrible and I have nothing but admiration for those who risk their lives to save others. Its just a shame that the politicians who command them deserve so little.
All journalists who are told specifically not to travel to certain areas should be made to sign a waiver, you go under your on duress, you will NOT be rescued as a result. R.I.P Cpl. John Harrison. You served Queen and country, may you forever rest in peace.
Journalism is competitive, so that won't stop them going. And it's very bad PR for a government to take no action and let it's citizens be executed in a live stream. As for Queen and country, get real.
It also should be noted and if reports are to be believed that he was there investigating a cover-up of an improper airstrike. If you get told not go somewhere by the same government that performs that airstrike or allied with the government. You probably would still go if that's your job.
@@RedDragon-og8wn it's ironic, he was there to dig up dirt on the military, yet the military was the one to attempt rescuing him, and lose men doing so.
@@sturmgewehr449 yes. Yet accountability in any profession is critical. Both military and journalistic. I think the statement about people thinking they're infallible can apply to every profession.
@LTrain45 45
The absolute last thing both the USA and UK need are more application processes, public sector or private contractor bureaucracy, and potential litigation etc.
Let's face it, your government (allegedly) has responsibility for your safety and guarantees your freedoms and rights, so in signing such a document you would in effect temporarily suspend your citizenship and that could throw open all kinds of other issues further down the line such as is your passport still valid if you need to make a break for a border to evade capture?!
Can't stress how much I appreciate having the best special forces the world has to offer protecting my country 🇬🇧
I second that mate 🇬🇧👍🏻
Navy Seals : Hold my beer
@@user-pw2hb3lt5d hope you’re joking
JTF2
Ww W Sincerely hope that was a joke lol Every special forces in the world has modelled themselves of the British Special forces that’s a fact.
I admire how respectful you are to the 2 unnamed civilians that were killed in the operation. Giving them their spot on the In Memoriam section.
RIP to our British brother, with much love from the United States.
Lions having to go in after these arrogant donkeys ! RIP Cpl. also it amazes me how fast our intelligence knows where they are that’s awesome and scary at the same time.
Yeah mate I agree its impressive how quickly they were onto his location, its nice to know that Brits have teams like this willing to come and bring you back home, even if some of these idiot journos don't deserve it eh.
@@mattgosling2657 for sure.
the power of google these days :)
Eavesdropping from the air.
That surprised me aswell, but doesn't at the next thought........ I heard some satellites can see a bolt head on a bridge in good weather, so God knows what capabilities they have.
The British special forces are the most respected professional soldiers in the world bar none. As for the journalist, I have nothing to say. I have only the highest respect for our special forces and am truly proud to be a UK infantry armed forces veteran.
US Navy Seals have enter the chat
@@its_jjk
Personally I don't care who allegedly has "the best" special forces, because both of our nations produce exceptional soldiers.
I'm just thankful that we're such close allies which allows these men to often work alongside one another on operations.
If you're an enemy Insurgent your worst nightmare will be coming into contact with SEALs or the SAS/SBS... Imagine how worse that nightmare becomes when you come into contact with SEALs _and_ SAS/SBS working together?!
@@its_jjk seals couldnt lace SAS boots mate 😂
BAR NONE MATE !
@@its_jjk America has too many soldiers to be able to focus intense training on but the uk can focus intense training in the selected few and create the elite
I struggle to understand why the military would bother spending money and a life for a civilian who ignored warnings, and had been captured before.
exactly... i'd rather have another soldier serving than another journalist trotting around. not a reasonable sacrifice of life
@@jordanp7961 let’s just be proud and very grateful that some men will put their own lives on the line no matter who needs the help. I have great respect for the men and women in these circumstances 👏. Hopefully the family of the fallen hero takes solace in the knowledge that their son/father/brother helped save two people’s lives
@@Morris2182 Agree but there was only one life saved; that of the journalist.
@Bark and Jack The military don't get to pick and choose which hostages to rescue; that decision is made at the political level: Foreign Secretary; Defence Secretary or Prime Minister.
I suppose they could refuse to obey the order, if carrying out the rescue attempt was pretty much a suicide mission; but any other grounds, then they'd be risking their career
After his first capture from failing to listen to government advice then to be be captured a second time for failing agai to follow advice No rescue attempt should of been made. Rest in peace big man.
I agree.
@@davidh6300 Me too
Thank you for your immeasurable service!
@@jackoates6418 Try watching the video you child...
@@jackoates6418 watch and learn
@@jackoates6418 ok Jack 😅
@@kevinworrall231 Jack is just one more useless tool.
8:26 I wish the military in the US could be this vocal and callout mistakes, without retaliation. You are a good man, Tim Collins. RIP Corporal John Harrison!
Col T Collins was retired at that time, so he was free to say what he wanted.
Look him up.
He led his battalion into battle in 2003, only to learn whilst on operations that his battlegroup would be disbanded and he, out of a job.
An American officer made false allegations against him which were eventually thrown out. He sued the tabloid for running with a salacious story.
Top man
RIP Corporal John Harrison
Respect for 160th SOAR and SBS.
NSDQ🇺🇲
the job the SF guys do i cant comprehend what they go through, its a phenomenal job these guys do and risk their lives saving maybe only 1 person, but to get that 1 person out makes there day/week/month, the most highest respect in what these guys do
You're doing a great job telling the stories and helping us remember those that gave their lives for others. Keep it up
Extremely well put together video, RIP cpl John Harrison and a lovely touch putting the civilians at the end.
As always LFE does a professional, unbiased, undramatized telling of a story that honors those troops involved. Well done. Long time subscriber.
Best channel on YT right now
Thank God for the dedicated men of this world that go unseen and unheard.
As always LfE a well produced video. Thank you.
Keep up the amazing work. Your videos are absolutely incredible. God bless
Damn the US and UK do almost everything together 😂... Love you boys 🇺🇸 🇬🇧
Right back at you mate 🇬🇧🇺🇲
One positive I hold dear from my time spent in the Forces is that I am now lifelong friends with many an American Airman, Marine and Soldier.
_God_ _Save_ _The_ _Queen_ & _God_ _Bless_ _America_
I think the following tank battle in Gulf 1 says it all. 1Squadron of Challengers (20 tanks total I think) and about 60 Abrams against in excess of 240 Iraqi tanks of at least 4 different types IE T80, T72, T64 and T55. The Challengers started moving towards them on hard pan (almost stone hard sand) at about half throttle and took out the T80's and T72's before they could even open fire. The Abrams then went screaming past at full throttle and shredded almost all the rest. The story goes that only 4 of the T64's survived (nothing else) and a few of the Abrams needed some paintwork sorting out.
@@gordonlawrence1448 chally still holds the world record for the longest tank kill..
yup we taught the yanks everything they know ... :P
We let it be known, you mess with the UK 🇬🇧, you mess with the USA 🇺🇸. It usually doesn’t end well for all those that try and poke the Bear 🐻
Godspeed Cpl. - forever remembered, never forgotten. Rest in peace.
Thanks for your short and too the point well presented material. I really enjoy it.Well done!
Another amazing vid. Keep up the outstanding work.
As always....excellent. thank you
LFM CPL Harrison. This world is a much better place to live because of people like you.
Always interesting material from you, thank you :)
Thanks for your courage and service
A great watch and dedication to a hero of one of the best special forces units in the world. The world is a lesser place without people like Harrison protecting us. RIP John and thank you for dedicating your life to protecting me,my kids and my nation. We owe you and your loved ones more than we can offer🙌
RIP John Harrison, you are a hero and deserve nothing but the best
Rest In Peace Cpl. Harrison and may the Good Lord keep you always by his side.
RIP brave warrior thank you for keeping us safe.
YNWA
Always respectfully presented, thank you.
Love the channel
You did your duty, John. Rest easy.
Bravo Tim Collins. As ever, saying what was needed to be said.
I hope Farrell has learnt his lesson & sent his apologies.
Great job as ever LfE. I think its a huge shame the way we (the feckin good guys) treated the interpreters.
Stephen Farrell was captured once more in 2011 in Lybia.
Lest We Forget. Rest in peace mate, from Australia.
So what I get out of all this is some journalists wants to undermine an operation that took place and in consequence put his life and everyone else's lives at risk only to get his ass saved by the very same people that he's undermining losing lives save his own. My sympathy goes to those that risk and those that lost their lives to save the lives of the ignorant
What a story and hero.
Thank you for Once Again, providing us with a brilliant video account of what happened on operation that night.
And Thank You to all servicing British ana NATO personnel, especially British, that offer their lives so we can live ours in relative peace, Thank you to John and to all of our British and allied heroes lost in battle to save us all, RiP. 🇬🇧
I love your channel.
Good video,tastefully done.
Imagine dying to save someone who thought being a journalist was more important than the warning
Investigating a war crime is more important.
Facts over feelings snowflake.
Being a meat shield was his job, all for under £28k a year, tragic.
@@TheBigZam a war crime is investigated by the international criminal courts not ambulance chasing journalists whos only desire is to sell papers by exploiting the death and suffering of military members and civilians.
@@jackcloud4728 to claim journalists are nothing but ‘ambulance chasers’
I guess with such simplifications we can call our armed forces ‘baby killers’ etc?
Nice rhetoric
some might say that we lost a life to save a life of a fool , but remember that if you take a British person hostage we WILL come for you
Suppose it’s better to think he does doing the job he loved rather than saving a journalist
@@jackcloud4728 Well said sir...too outrageous to tell the public they were saving an entitled prick
Loving thay the new map graphic
CPRL Harrison R.I.P.🇬🇧💯true warrior brother
Did that reporter go out there to do a "hit piece" on the American airstrike? That must ve been the case. He probably thought that his sympathetic story would give him a pass in talib country.
I wonder how the American pilots (while taking fire) felt about it?
@Zac Braf You're under every comment with the same crap. Hope RU pays well. (It doesn't)
@@TheBigZam russian bots
I know they'll be back ,.☝🇬🇧
RIP John 🙏
By Stealth and Guile. stand down Soldier.
Nice vid mate. Can you possibly do the rescue of Jessica Buchanan? Thanks
BRAVE MEN!!!!
Can you please do a video about the hostage rescue operation carried by Task Force 45 at the Esko International in Afghanistan?
I think Tim Collins put it perfectly
Can you do a video on the operation where M Squadron made up of 60 SAS and SBS soldiers were deployed to take the capitulation of the 100,000 Iraqi Army 5th Corps?
The British government warned the journalists not to proceed further and yet he ignored them. Not only that this is the 2nd time his been captured. What a liability he is
The Special Boat Service, the Best of The Best
Should have left them there to rot. Their incompetent behaviour cost the lives of who seemed to be a cracking lad, and even better soldier. What an absolute shame. Rest in peace mate🇬🇧
Fair Winds and Calm Seas to our brother in arms! It's sad that he loses his life because of a self absorbed reporter. Not to mention, the interpreter.
This was not a fair exchange. John Harrison is worth a thousand Stephen Farrells. They should have left them to rot there. They would have only been trying to dig up dirt on how bad the coalition were anyway. Half wit journalists. RIP corporal and the two civilians.
That a British soldier lost his life trying to save an ignorant big headed overpaid journalist that failed to heed advice is a terrible waste of an heroic British Para serving in the Special Forces Support Group.
May God rest you forever more Cpl. John Harrison.
As for the stupid journalist, a question, are you happy?
Believe it or not, he was kidnapped again 2 years later during the Libyan Civil War, but was eventually freed. Seems he has the rare combination of being very stupid and very lucky.
@Zac Braf hit the nail on the head mate 👏👏
@Zac Braf They are coming aight mate, Iran dumping truck load of them to Eastern Turkey and border guards are overwhelmed, next they pay for passage to UK
@LTrain45 45 Who's a coward?
@LTrain45 45 Number One: Go back to grammar school or use spell check before you hit Enter. Number Two: What happened to you as a child that you are so broken? Number Three: You and your like will never understand what the words "sacrifice", "duty", "honor" truly mean. I respect the enemy. At least they have the balls to pick up a rifle and fight for what they believe in. I can't imagine you have that in you. Number Four: Have a great day mate. (I'm American. I just wanted to say "mate" because it sounds cool.). My American side just wants to tell you to go fuck yourself but I'm trying to be nice.
Wait this was the second time this hostage got himself into the same situation despite being warned?
Respect 🇺🇸
Can you make some videos on Canadian military stories?
So sad, it brings a tear to me eye one off out finest dies because off a reporter ignoring advice.
A Great man dies, so a lesser man can live.
well this provides some redemption from the heat
@@jackoates6418 it was
My personal opinion as a citizen is that if they have been warned not to go and they go anyway we should not waste our precious resources saving them. Let the company they work for go hire someone to go in and save them
Is this the operation Jason Fox was in? He talks about a very similar one
Yes it's the same one.
"don't fucking go there"
>get's kidnapped
*pikachu face*
Finally a mission that happened in this millennium
There is a video on the BFBS channel, Ambush in Basra. The police handed over a New Zealander who was back packing around Iraq. Put others at risk getting him out of there.
Some people just don't see the bigger picture.
There is a reason why the Paras are known as the greatest soldiers in the world, and the SBS are known for their strength and guile. No sacrifice is ever wasted, especially among these men.
RIP Cpl John Harrison
Oh YEs!
Can't wait to see the Army Air Corps answer to 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Well done to the S.B.S. That bloody reporter should have been left where he was, he chose to go against advice and cost the life of a very brave young man.
I totally agree with Tim Collins, this journalist cost the life of a young soldier to rescue him due to his ignorance after being advised not to go. I would have left Stephen there to rot. At least the young soldier would still be alive. Why should the government trade the life of another due to someone’s stupidity….
I agree with all you have said..however I personally would replace “ignorance” with “arrogance”
exactly... rather have another soldier serving than another journalist trotting around. not a fair trade of life
RIP to the brave soldiers that died trying to save the journalists and to the brave journalists who died trying to save the truth.
Rip,journalists not worth saving,they know the score!!!!
And Navy Seals ... Thank you.
I hope you do a video on the sbs raiding a Afghanistan Fort
August 2008 - Mullah Multan - The SBS and 3 Para raided the fort of Taliban drug-lord, Mullah Multan.
RIP john
Good to hear Steven Farrell has now got a healthy family and wife living in Buckinghamshire
could not recover his body , was it blue on blue?
>told to stay away from the area
>had already been kidnapped once before
>ends up costing the lives of British soldiers who had families of their own
Yeah, they should have just let the taliban keep him
R.I.P Cpl Harrison! A fine soldier lost for a damn stupid journalist. Good video as always LFE.
Apparently this guy got kidnapped for a THIRD time two years later in Libya.
And then the media has the nerve to complain about being targeted!
That's sad about the corporal, died because of someone's stupidity especially when he was forewarned not to go there.
Brave soldiers, F A B
Personally I wouldn't waste a bullet to rescue a journalist
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏