Shkin: The Far Outpost Of The Fight Against Terrorism in Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN - OCTOBER 19: US Army soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division (Watertown, NY) watch October 19, 2003 as a AH-64 Apache helicopter moves directly toward the Pakistani border from Shkin, Afghanistan and a nearby Pakistani Border Observation Post (small hill midway left side), trying to stir enemy militants who might be hiding in the wadis along the frontier. This Pakistan border area is where al Qaeda and Taliban forces crossed into Afghanistan, September 29, 2003 and set up the ambush and attack on a 10th Mountain patrol. The ensuing battle lasted nearly 12 hours and took place directly below a Pakistani Border Observation Post ( BOP). The 10th Mountain Division from Shkin lost one soldier. RPG's were launched from the Pakistani BOP. Shkin soldiers called in artillery, helicopters and fixed wing air support. Numerous Taliban and al Qaeda militants were killed and wounded though no exact numbers are available; remains were found. Today, the Shkin-based soldiers fired mortars, artillery and small arms to scare off any enemy that might be in the area and to send the Pakistani frontier guards a message. The southeastern Afghan-Pakistan border region is inundated with Taliban forces crossing over from South Waziristan, Pakistan, attempting to take control of the Pashtun provinces inside Afghanistan. US forces patrol heavily but are often given little cooperation from the Pakistani frontier troops, who are most likely infiltrated by Taliban and al Qaeda members. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)