80,000 Leaflets Distributed Over Taliban-Occupied Area

The US Air Force tells ANN the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron conducted a leaflet drop over Afghanistan last week in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The squadron -- based out of Dyess Air Force Base, TX -- dropped 80,000 leaflets on an area known to be inhabited by the Taliban in an effort to send specific messages, according to the Air Force.

"We dropped 6-by-4 inch leaflets," said Capt. Keith Englin, a 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules pilot and mission commander for the flight. "In this case, it was over enemy territory."

For crew members, this latest assignment was a change of pace. Their usual job is dropping supplies to troops on the ground.

"(The leaflet drops) are different from what we normally do, because we're not talking to anyone on the ground," Captain Englin said. "Instead of hitting a specific spot like we normally do (with a standard airdrop), we're trying to hit a one kilometer radius."

The leaflets read, "The ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) and ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) are ridding Helmand of the foreign Taliban" on one side and "The Taliban are commanded by foreigners who seek to destroy Afghanistan. There is no honor in fighting alongside the enemies of Afghanistan" on the other.

"In this case, we were trying to get a message to the Taliban -- their efforts are hopeless. We want them to know they're better off going home before they end up dead," Captain Englin said. "It sends a message to get people to comply peacefully before you have to use force."

This type of mission requires joint cooperation between the Army and the Air Force.

Army ground units will contact Air Force units to request a drop, which, in turn, performs the drops on the area of responsibility.

"It was a good experience, and a good joint effort," Captain Englin said. "The (soldiers) sometimes fly along with us to help us throw out the boxes. And also, it's good for them to see how it gets executed."

Capt. Phillip Postell, the 746th EAS C-130 pilot of this drop mission said that, overall, the leaflet drop was successful because the Taliban is reading the message and deciding their fate.

"In the end, it was an excellent performance by people across the entire AOR to get the mission finished," he said.

(ANN salutes Senior Airman Clark Staehle, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing)

FMI: www.af.mil