Ive been wanting to do this for a while now cos of the motivation given to me by my friend Baqar, but the exchange i had here this morning finally gave me the energy to do so. I'll try to avoid giving specifics as much as i can for obv reasons. So here goes...a thread.

Considering how i had performed up till this point in my service, i was flabbergasted when my posting was announced. I was told by two reliable sources about two possible postings so i was mentally prepared for them. But God had something else in store for me. So i ended up here.

I still remember on my way here, everyone including my seniors, family and friends, reiterated the same thing: hero nahi ban'na. Always used to think 'ap na kehte toh mei ne ban jana tha jese' lol. Here's a ss of what baqar said to me.

Little did i know that when push comes shove you forget everything you've been told and do what you think is right at the time. And believe me when i say it, that IS the right thing to do.

Anyway the first thing i noticed when i came here was that the foremost concern for everyone was safety, including my boss and his boss. So that was a relief. Thanks to new technology which made it even more easier. Not always the case. Man has access to places even robots don't.

Usually what happens here is you go defuse IEDs that are already detected by someone else. So that makes it easier. However, in a planned full scale operation, it's you who searches them too, cos you're leading in an unfamiliar terrain. Yes, you're leading everyone, including SSG

Fast forward a couple of months later, my worst fear came true. They planned an operation where i had to lead a company of commandos. There were a couple of delays which always gave me hope that it might not happen for e.g. the abhinandan saga. But in the end, happen it did.

So i was to reach this point at approx 2000 ft which was supposed to pave way for further operation. And the intel was that there's a 'jungle of IEDs' on the way. We didn't find a single IED but the thought of encountering even a single one slowed us down. Thanks intel

Anyhow, being from a technical arm that was only there for disposal of IEDs i believed my job was done. From here on out i was supposed to wait it out until it was over. At least that was the plan. The commando CO had something else in mind.

He was told that this height was to become his headquarters and that he had to send a force approx 2 km ahead on a similar height which was vital for further operation. That meant 3 things for me: go down and climb back up 2000 ft, jungle of IEDs and that i wasn't gonna do it.

The reason for not doing it was simple. He was supposed to reach that height at a specific time. If we led his force, we would've taken a lot longer cos for us, IED detection is more important. And that means taking your time during search. He wasn't having any of it.

So i used an old trick. I agreed to do it on one condition. That his men won't pressure me into doing it hastily. That meant that if he was to reach at 0300 hrs, we would've made them reach around 0500 hrs.

Being 2 hours late is detrimental for the whole operation cos there are other elements which are codependent on your timeline. So i was pretty sure he'd say no and would send his team without me, cos his orders were to reach in time at all costs. Guess what he said

So off i went with my team leading his. We started at midnight and reached around half an hour late which was ok, considering (Ofcourse i wasn't gonna delay it on purpose). Mind you i was already doing more than what i was ordered to by my headquarters, only to facilitate this CO

Also, we didn't find a single IED on the way again. Intel . Anyway when we reached i was done. Literally done. I hadn't marched or hiked for this long since training and i wasn't even in the best of shapes. Saray marlboro lights bahir aa gaye thay.

So i just put my backpack at the first spot i could find and ordered my men to do the same. Slept like a baby...for like 15 min Cos the commandos started preparing defenses. I remember thinking 'bc sotay nahi hain ye gorillay'. Also i was amazed at their will and perseverance.

There was noise of digging tools and whatnot all around us. Couldn't sleep, so i thought we might as well help them instead. At around 0800 hrs we were done. Literally done. All of us. Including the gorillas. And then finally we got some sleep, until noon.

After that they were busy in coordination of supplies, food and ammo etc which lasted till evening. Since I'd already overdone my part i asked their CO to relieve me and my men so we could go back to the headquarters cos, remember, hero nai ban'na? Aur pehle hi kafi bun chuka tha

He promised me he'd do it first thing next morning. That wasn't the answer i was looking for. Cos we were in a notorious location infested with Taliban. But intel was that since Taliban knew we were coming with full force, they'd left. And there was no sign of them. So we stayed.

It was 1730 hrs when we got the first signal through radio. Some lights were seen flickering 2-3 km east from our location. Nothing new. Must be some locals setting up a bonfire or cooking. So we didn't think much of it. Also, the hostile elements had already left. Or did they?

Still, we did alert the artillery and had some possible targets marked in case things went south. Nothing happened. Radio silence. The view was so serene, calm and peaceful that i even took some photos. I remember thinking 'is this what calm before the storm feels like?'

1815 hrs we received the second signal. This time there was an urgency in the voice. They told us that they can see more lights in that direction. AND THEY'RE MOVING. What? They're moving? Are they carrying torches and running towards us? Very unlike Taliban if that's the case.

Turned out, it was a convoy. They were coming in vehicles! We didn't even know a track for wheeled vehicles existed there. Suddenly everything became real. There was no time to be delusional or in denial. This was it. Idk why but i quickly recorded a video message for my family.

Every decision i made from then on was a reflex. We took our positions behind commandos. It was their time to shine. And shine they did. I was so glad we helped them in preparing those defenses that day. Those bunkers saved precious lives that day.

The Taliban attacked with roughly 60-70 men. We had the advantage of height. They had the advantage of a familiar terrain. Anyway being a specialist force, me and my men weren't equipped for this so we stayed in the background. The first artillery shell was fired. It missed.

Not their fault. It was impossible to pinpoint a moving target. So we kept giving them corrections on targets which slowed down their convoy and that bought us some time to rearrange and prepare. The Aviation was called in as well.

It became a battle zone in seconds. They fired first cos their target was stationary. At first, our fire was speculative. We couldn't see them properly it was so dark. But then they came so close that i remember hearing them. Saw one of them make the infamous throat-cut gesture.

Our job was simple, to hold the height. We couldn't let them climb to the top and overrun our positions. The gunfight lasted for about an hour when we saw their reinforcements coming in. At this time the Aviation was already in air. I hadn't fired a single bullet up till then.

Suddenly the bunker next to mine got hit by an RPG and it collapsed injuring one of the commandos. I left my position and rushed towards him. His left knee was hit but he was still firing. I tried to drag him towards safety but he told me to stay there and cover for him.

He pointed me in the general direction he was firing. Thanks to the illuminating round that i could make out a couple of silhouettes rushing towards us. I let out a war cry (learned that it's a defensive mechanism more than anything else) and fired. Instinctively. Pure reflex.

Idk whether i hit or not. Whether they ran sideways or fell or were despatched to hell im not sure. But the fire from that direction ceased. I dragged that commando to safety and gave him water. Tried to apply the little knowledge i gained about first aid during training.

I remember savouring that moment. I wouldn't say slow mo but i was in a weird haze. It was for the first time in my entire career that i was witnessing army in its full might. And it was a sight to see. Words can never do it justice. Fell in love with it all over again.

By this time the Aviation and Artillery had successfully repulsed the reinforcements. The second convoy made a U turn when one of their vehicles was hit. The firing stopped soon after. It was over. We lost 3 good men that day. They lost more than 30.

It's only when it's over and you have time to self reflect and introspect that you realise that all those instinctive decisions aren't just plain and simple reflexes. A lot of deliberate thought, training and experience that shapes you up till that point goes into that reflex.

Anyway, so much for TaLiBan hAve lEft dW yOu'll oNly fInD IEDs kA jUngLe. Thanks intel . Hahah that's it guys. I really don't know what's the takeaway. Guess that's for you to decide. Thanks for your patience.