Everyone loves a good story, especially when it’s non-fictional and is actually based on real events. Such a story was told yesterday by a Pakistan Army soldier who tweeted his encounter with the Taliban in the Mohmand Agency.
The exceptionally well-written story was praised by Pakistani Twitterati and journalists – they spoke of the soldier’s writing skills and his bravery. The story is funny and nerve-wracking at the same time. You’re going to absolutely love it.
And so he began…
Okay so this one time in Mohmand Agency, we were ordered to mop up a valley (clear it off terrorists)
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
We were already half way inside the valley and had setup a stronghold just beyond their mortar range. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
But someone had to advance further ahead and penetrate the line of fire. For that, my CO chose me. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
And like a good little qurbani k bakra that I was I said yessirr! @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
So I had a squadron of tanks under my command and I was leading the squadron. Slowly creeping further inside their territory @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
That was my first independent operation that I conducted so I was also very nervous. But I had to show my men
@TheGutterfly— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
That I have nerves of steel right (bullshit I was scared shitless) but I stood up on the back side of the turret in the open @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I was roaring and we were raising battle cries and whatnot. Okay one more thing…@TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The squadrons that were attached with our outfit, they were a part of the FC. And trust me when I say that don't trust the FC @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Anyhoo, we crept further inside and strangely enough we weren't being raided by the fire which I was expecting. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The idea was to locate the terrorists when they'd fire and then engage them from long distance with my tanks. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
But those conniving motherfuckers let me in further. I know what you're thinking. I had to know better. But I dint. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
As I was standing behind the opened cupola and sharing the possibility of an ambush with the tank commander .. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Along came the infamous whizzing sound of a bullet. It nearly missed the tk comd's head and almost tore the cupola. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
As a result the tk comdr immediately shut down the cupola and went inside the tk. Now I was out in the open without any cover @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
When u've been in war long enough u observe little things about the surroundings that come in handy. It's called minor tactics@TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
When you've faced a lot of fire, you start differentiating among the whizzing sounds of different calibre bullets @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
So I'm standing on the tank shouting bhenchod at the top of my voice and I jumped behind the tank and laid my back against @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
..track of the tanks. And then guess what @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The fucking driver lost his shit completely and started reversing the fucking tank. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I shouted and cursed him at the top of my voice but the joke was on me because he couldn't hear me over the sound of intense @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
…fire and the tanks engine. So I had only two ways two go. Left or right. Both suicide because I had to expose myself to @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
..the incoming. So I read nad e Ali and started running like a dog towards the line of trees some 300 meters away to my right @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
While I was running with the AK47 hanging at my back and cursing myself for wearing a thigh holster with my viking.. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I was recalling those movies where the guy who's about to die gets flashes of his life and loved ones and whatnot.. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I tried thinking about my mum and dad and girlfriend but they just wouldn't come. I couldn't even make myself think about @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Them. I kept cursing all those movies all the while running with intense machine gun, 12.7 mm, 14.5, mortar and sniper @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Firing at me with all their might. Because they had figured that I was the officer and it's better to kill an officer than @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
A battalion of non commissioned. So I escaped the first volley and jumped inside the clump. But it seemed as if they were @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Eveeywhere. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Now I was detached from my men completely. The FC tanks had abandoned me and had started withdrawing. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The sun was slowly setting and the evenings chill was taking over the days warmth @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
My camos were drenched in mud, knee high from running through a swamp (something I dint realise while running) @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I had scratches all over my hands and face from jumping in the clump. They were still firing but it was gradually @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Slowing down. My worst nightmare (Because that means that they've stopped firing from distance and are closing in on you) @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I lit up my last cigarette in day light and started looking for better cover @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Kept running way inside the jungle. I saw a graveyard. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The night was settling in, the graveyard seemed very old with only rocks for tombstones and a couple of vaccant graves @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Of sorts… @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I dug a little deeper with my hands and bayonet and helmet and filled it up with dried leaves. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
It was to be my sanctuary for the night. Now I could hear those fuckers in the distance @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I hid my helmet in the other grave , lied down in the grave and covered myself up with leaves. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
My AK on my chest with its muzzle on my crotch, the weapon was unsafe and my finger in the trigger guard @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I was more worried about shooting my dick off in accidental fire than the terrorists @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Now I could hear their voices very clearly. They were speaking in Pushto and arguing about if there was one guy or two. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Thankfully they agreed on two. I could hear the sound of my heart pounding out of my chest. It was intense. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
It started itching on my groin as they were less than 20 paces away from me @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Ugh it was so fucking tantalizing. But I couldn't because obviously, how fucking dumb are you? @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
They kept roaming about the area for a couple of hours and went back to their hideout. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
I opened my radio and started listening. I couldn't talk because the terrorists eavesdrop on radiocomm @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
@TheGutterfly so I just pressed the pushin and kept it pressed
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
When somebody pressed the pushin button on a radio device, no one remains able to talk on that particular channel. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
@TheGutterfly I kept it pressed for an hour before my CO got pissed off and got everyone's Motorola checked. And then it hit the Jarhead
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
That it might've been me trying to give a signal that cheeky bastard @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
@TheGutterfly so he called on the main channel, called me out and asked me to switch to channel 3 if I was listening. I did.
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
Then I sent him my gps loc in morse code and he sent a rescue team. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The end. @TheGutterfly
— -ve (@TheGutterfly) April 25, 2016
The story has everything. Thrill, comedy, drama and the best of all, it has patriotism! The soldier’s excerpt let us in on the thoughts and feelings of someone in the state of war.
We are truly grateful and proud of all our young soldiers who do so much for our country!
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