Shooting incident at Dili Airport

From Defence Media (no link)

Today at approximately 0850 hours the International Security Force (ISF) responded to a disturbance at the Dili Airport Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp.

During the incident an ADF soldier was attacked with steel arrows which are potentially lethal weapons. He defended himself by shooting the attacker, resulting in the death of one Timorese national.

The ADF regrets any incident that involves the loss of life.

ISF soldiers operate under strict rules of engagement. These rules allow ISF soldiers to defend themselves, and other persons whom they are assigned to protect.

The incident will be fully investigated in cooperation with UNPOL and Timor Leste authorities.

Seems fair enough to me and even though it sounds one-sided, steel arrows and a determined assailant can be just as fatal as a 5.56mm round.

I’m just glad the digger survived.

2 comments

  • Too right, Kev.

    Without pre-judging the incident, if the digger was either being shot at or threatened with a bow and arrow, he had every right to react as he did and shoot his assailant dead.

    Without doubt, the Usual Suspects will be howling about why lethal force was necessary, and showing their utter ignorance by wanting to know why the assailant had not been shot in the leg or sprayed with OC spray.

    I just hope that the military hierarchy stands behind this soldier and gives him the support he will need to weather the storm of faux outrage from the moonbats.

  • Those things ARE lethal. Whilst there last year it was a hobby of the off duty diggers to conduct impromptu ‘effects practices’ at the back of the Company base. The arrows don’t penetrate either body armour or helmet, but they will go straight through a ‘riot’ visor.

    I am surprised that such an incident (return of fire) hadn’t happened earlier, however the problem that is faced is determining the difference between rocks and darts. Generally the arrow isn’t noticed until it’s sticking (in our case) out of a wall behind, and by then the bad bloke (referred to by the diggers as ‘Gang Aged Youths’ or GAYS) is long gone. Woe betide the poor dig who shoots a bloke who was armed with only a rock.

    Methinks it’s only a matter of time until the ADF encounter a grenade or longarm in the wrong hands. They’re certainly in abundance. Is the popularity of the ADF wearing thin in Timor? Stay tuned….