Location: Bridge Four Basra
Event: Op Telic
Image No: OP TELIC,03,010,034,006
Photographer: WO2 Giles Penfound
Caption:
(Rear to Front) Lance Sergeant Chris Briggs and Guardsman Warren Bradford both serving as a snipers with Support Company attached to Number 1 Company 1st Battalion The Irish Guards. In a dawn raid on a University / factory complex within sight of their patrol base at Bridge Four on the outskirts of Basra the Irish Guards attacked and cleared the base after coming under fire from small arms mortars and SAM Missile systems which were fired from Iraqi positions at a British Lynx Helicopter supporting the Irish Guards.
Chris iand Warren are one of four sniper pairs set up within the buildings to provide covering fire for the Royal Engineers who were attempting to put out one of the numerous oil well fires within the complex.
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An unidentified sniper with the British Special Air Service recently was looking to kill an ISIS chieftain and had been observing for days for a chance to get a shot off near Mosul. He had previously served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and started this tour of duty with 60 kills. The opportunities were many and he had been making his share of the kills. When the attack on Mosul finally began, the ISIS chieftain tried to escape and the sniper had just 2 seconds to aim and fire. He hit his target and almost ripped the chieftain in two.
From The Conservative Tribune:
When the sniper filed the paperwork for his report, he discovered that he had reached 100 kills, the Star reported.
“The sniper came to Iraq with around 60 kills, but in the last few weeks there has been a lot of killing and he lost count of the number of terrorists he had put in the ground,” a source told the Star.
The legendary 100th kill put the soldier at the top of the elite regiment’s list of sharpshooters, defense sources said.
This is the kind of force that keeps Islamic State group leaders up at night — and with good reason. These snipers have proven in the past months that they mean business.