Wounded Australian soldier returns to duty

An Australian soldier treated at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) medical facility at Multi National Base Tarin Kotafter being Wounded In Action in the upper left arm in Uruzgan Province on 4 January 2011 has returned to duty.

As reported by Defence on 5 January 2011, the soldier, from Australia’s Mentoring Task Force – Two, was participating in an Afghan National Army partnered patrol in the Chorah Valley region of Uruzgan Province when the patrol was attacked with small arms fire.

It was also reported by Defence on 5 January that a local man, believed to be an insurgent, was wounded in the leg and treated by the patrol before being medically evacuated to the ISAF facility at Multi National Base Tarin Kot.

Defence stated at that time that the engagement would be investigated to confirm the status of the local male.

An internal assessment has found that there was sufficient intelligence to link the local male with low level insurgent activity.

After being treated at the ISAF medical facility at Multi National Base TarinKot, he was transferred to the Initial Screening Area as a detainee but was subsequently released as there was not sufficient evidence to continue to detain him.

Media note: 

For more information on the ADF’s operation in Afghanistan go to http://www.defence.gov.au/op/afghanistan/index.htm