With a Taliban fighter looming in his sights half a mile away, the British sniper knew a clean shot would take down his enemy. What he could not have known was that the single bullet he fired would account for five more insurgents. But, incredibly, his rifle round triggered the explosive vest worn by his target, killing all those around him.
The record-breaking shot was fired by a Coldstream Guards marksman on one of the last missions to be carried out by British troops in Afghanistan in December 2013. UK forces are preparing to leave their last frontline base in Helmand as part of their withdrawal from Afghanistan. The sniper, a lance corporal who cannot be named for security reasons, was on a mission to intercept a suspected suicide bomber. Commanders feared the insurgent was planning to blow himself up at either a UK base, an Afghan security checkpoint or a civilian target such as a school or government building.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.