Sept. 19, 2013 —
KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN – Afghan commandos with the 8th Special Operations Kandak saved a young boy after Taliban gunmen shot him Sept. 14 in Kandahar province’s Mya Neshin district.
Samiullah Retool, 8, was shot in the chest while his family met with the Afghan commandos.
“We were gathered in a small house talking with the commandos when the Taliban started shooting,” said Mullah Said Retool, Samiullah’s older brother.
The commandos provided cover fire and provided initial treatment for the young boy. After the Taliban retreated, the commandos carried Samiullah to a nearby Afghan military post, where he was further evaluated, and then airlifted to medical facilities on Forward Operating Base Ripley in Tarin Kowt district, Uruzgan province.
“I am very happy the commandos were there to help,” Mullah Said said. “They saved his life today.”
Samiullah’s wounds are not life threatening, but he remains under evaluation at the medical center.