Royal Marine commandos with M Company, 42 Commando, lead a clearance mission in northern Nad'Ali District, Helmand province, during Operation Zamrod Olai, June 25. The operation involved a helo-borne insertion of Marine commandos into an area that had previously seen very little coalition and Afghan security forces presence in order to disrupt insurgent operations and engage with locals
Sgt. Wayne Jackson, a troop sergeant with M Company, 42 Commando, talks with a local man during Operation Zamrod Olai in northen Nad'Ali District, Helmand province, June 25. Although M Company commandos and engineers began the operation expecting a fight with insurgents in the area, a day's worth of patrolling and compound searches turned up no enemy resistance and lead to several face-to-face meetings with locals in the area
Lance Cpl. Sarah Wheeler, an electronic countermeasure operator with Brimstone 25, Royal Corps of Engineers, and a native of Birmingham, England, prepares to move after being inserted by helicopter into northern Nad'Ali District, Helmand province, at the outset of Operation Zamrod Olai, June 25. During the operation, Royal Marines with M Company, 42 Commando, teamed with counter-improvised explosive device engineers and Afghan security forces to sweep an area previously devoid of coalition and Afghan security presence
Marine Daniel W. Nesbitt, a medic with M Company, 42 Commando, and a native of Plymouth, England, humors an Afghan child during a patrol halt during Operation Zamrod Olai, June 25, in northern Nad'Ali District, Helmand province. Although M Company commandos and engineers began the operation expecting a fight with insurgents in the area, a day's worth of patrolling and compound searches turned up no enemy resistance and lead to several face-to-face meetings with locals in the area
Lance Cpl. Tom Welstand, a native of Berystedmunds, England, and a military working dog handler with 103 Military Dog Squadron, shares a moment with his search dog, Steegan, during Operation Zamrod Olai, June 25, in northern Nad'Ali District, Helmand province. Welstand and Steegan were operating in support of M Company, 42 Commando, who were sweeping the area to disrupt insurgent activity and movement. M Company expected the area to be heavily mined with improvised explosive devices, making Steegan a crucial part of the team.