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Operation BARRAS (Sierra Leone) - Part 2

Op BARRAS – 10th September 2000

On 25th August 2000 eleven members of the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR), travelling in WMIK ‘Gunship’ Land Rovers, and a liaison officer of the Sierra Leone Army, were taken prisoner by a ruthless armed rebel group led by ‘Brigadier’ Foday Kallay and known as the West Side Boys.

Some confusion initially existed as to how the soldiers concerned were captured but a statement eventually issued by British authorities admitted that they may have been apprehended while deep in enemy territory. Negotiations for the release of those captured began and 5 members of the RIR were released on 3rd September in exchange for medical supplies and a satellite phone – the phone was later to play a vital part in identifying the location of the rebels while planning the rescue operation. Negotiations with the rebels continued in an attempt to secure the release of the remaining hostages but they eventually broke down with Kallay threatening to kill those still held by the rebels. At this point authorization was given by the British Government for Op BARRAS, nicknamed by the men on the ground as ‘Operation Certain Death!’ to be put into operation.

Intelligence reports indicated that the RIR hostages and their liaison officer were being held at a small camp named Geberi Bana, located on a river delta at Rokel Creek. The WMIK Land Rovers, with heavy machine guns still mounted, had been taken to the rebel base at Magbeni – approximately 400 metres from Rokel Creek. It was a source of concern that the vehicle mounted machine guns could be used to oppose the hostage rescue operation.

It did not take long for the powers that be to realise that the rescue of the hostages lent itself to an ideal operation for the Special Air Service – it was a high risk hostage rescue mission to be undertaken in a highly hostile environment. ‘D’ Sqn 22 SAS, supported by elements of the SBS, approximately 50 troopers and marines, flew into Sierra Leone to prepare for the hostage rescue operation with ‘C’ Coy 1 Para and elements of Support and HQ Coy, totaling approximately 130 soldiers, tasked with the attack on the rebel stronghold.

SAS and SBS close observation teams were inserted by boat and moved into the area(s) close to where the hostages were being held and the main rebel base. Information on both locations was sent back to the main force that was in the meantime preparing and rehearsing for the attack. On 10th September at 0615hrs the attacking force left Freetown airport in 3 RAF Chinook and 3 AAC Lynx helicopters as well as one Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunship, flown by a contracted South African civilian, and headed for the rebel held area.

The topography of the rebel held area precluded a stealthy assault – leaving only one alternative – an assault reliant on maximum speed and firepower – and as SAS and SBS hostage rescue teams, and paratroopers, ‘fast roped’ down from the Chinook tailgates onto their designated landing zones the Lynx helicopters (armed with miniguns), the Mi-24 Hind Gunship and SAS/SBS close observation teams hit the rebels with heavy suppressing fire. The ‘Shock & Awe’ assault was a success. The hostages were extracted unharmed within 30 minutes and flown to one of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships anchored in Freetown harbour.

With the second wave of paratroopers flown in by Chinook the attack on the main rebel stronghold intensified but the West Side Boys were no pushover and, whether high on drugs or thinking they were protected by magical powers, they fought hard with no fear of being killed. The operation took nearly 8 hours to complete by which time the Land Rovers had been recovered and 20 rebels, including Foday Kallay the rebel leader, had been taken into custody. 25 rebels had been confirmed killed, although it is thought more died from their wounds after being taken into the jungle both before and after the action.

The British military casualty count was one member of ‘D’ Sqn, 22 SAS, LCpl Bradley Tinnion, killed in action and a further 12 soldiers wounded – 1 seriously.

Op BARRAS was considered to be a great success where United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) and the Parachute Regiment worked closely together for the first time – doubtless leading to the creation of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) where the Parachute Regiment deploy in direct support of the UKSF.

Operations PALLISER & BARRAS (Sierra Leone) – Part 1