All along the watchtower (From The Northern Echo)

All along the watchtower

3:44pm Tuesday 21st July 2009 in

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07:30: I am in one of the guard towers watching over one of the junctions that is manned by the Kabul City Police. I just leave my position when I hear a scream and the sound of a shot fired close by. Nobody out of the guard could see where it had come from, however we still had to report it in to the command and ops room.

10:00: I am on a position that scans and searches civilians coming into the base. As two American soldiers are walking down towards my position on their way out of the base, a large explosion sound is heard coming from just outside the main gates, almost like a grenade going off. I quickly tell the two soldiers to get back and take cover while I try to see what has happened, more British soldiers start running into firing positions and we all cock our weapons. I crouch onto one knee and raise my weapon pointing it at the main gate, waiting for something to happen... nothing comes.

Then we are told by the commander to stand down as he had just found out that a tyre exploded on a vehicle that was just about to enter the base. After all the tension we had a good chuckle about it.