British Army sniper shot dead five Taliban militants in 28 seconds

LONDON - A British Army sniper on duty in Afghanistan shot dead five Taliban militants, who were more than a mile away, in 28 seconds to save his comrades from attack.

The marksman has so far killed record 37 enemy fighters during his four months in Afghanistan. he Sun quoted the soldier as saying that the grimmest test of his training came when he and his spotter were in an old fort in Haji Alem, in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province.

The pair saw an insurgent preparing to ambush a British foot patrol. The sharp shooter said they knew the Taliban wanted to kill their platoon commander and his sergeant.

Looking through the telescopic sight of his long-barrelled .338 L115A3 rifle he saw four other Taliban militants taking up positions.

The sniper then requested for permission to fire, as the British troops had not been attacked, the paper reports.

“They gave me ‘weapons free’. I engaged with the first insurgent. It took me nine rounds but I took him down with the ninth.

“Then the other four had moved closer, so I took them down as well. They were taken down in the next 28 seconds,” The Sun quoted the sniper, as saying.

The marksman, serving with 4 Rifles, added: “My job is about taking care of the boys. I’ve been in the Army for 11 years and I’ve been a sniper for nine. It is not about how many people you kill, it’s about the team.” (ANI)