Vikings hand over control (From Salisbury Journal)
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Vikings hand over control
10:23am Friday 6th July 2012 in News By David Falcke
1ST Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment (The Vikings) based in Bulford has handed over control of Patrol Base Silab, Nad-e Ali, to Afghan security forces.
This is the first checkpoint to be handed over to Afghan security forces in Nad-e Ali and a key point in the transition to Afghan security control.
The Vikings are working in the district of Nad-e-Ali; this is the large agricultural heartland of Central Helmand stretching between the urban centres of Gereshk and Lashkar Gah. In Nad-e-Ali the early stages of Transition began last winter.
Officer Commanding B (Suffolk) Company Major Adam Wolfe (35) said: “Both the Afghans and British forces have worked hard to make Silab a place that can be defended and occupied without overstretching either the Afghan security forces or ISAF. I was proud to shake hands with the Commander Zainoulla before we departed; content further progress has been made towards transition”.
Between now and the beginning of September a further five locations will be handed over to the Afghan security forces, two sites will be improved and some will be closed completely as stability improves in the Nad-e Ali area.