A second insurgent was seen laying out ammunition, and then the two insurgents mounted a motorcycle and returned to the same area they were seen attacking from earlier. After an hour of observing the two and seeing them stash the recoilless rifle in a grape field, coalition forces launched a Hellfire missile at them, killing one of them.
Helicopters on scene continued their observation of the weapons system, and prevented anybody on the ground from moving to the site. The helicopter crew marked the site with smoke and an Attack Company platoon successfully to secure the weapon.
The Commander of 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Lt. Col. Kenneth Mintz, said that Afghan civilians living in the area actually warned coalition forces of a pending large-scale attack and left the area. He also said that insurgents had once considered Nalgham a safe haven, and used the village as a planning base for their operations.
A recoilless rifle is a long-barreled, anti-tank weapon capable of firing artillery-type shells at a range and velocity comparable to that of a normal light cannon, and are common throughout Afghanistan.
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