Operation Barras was the name of a hostage rescue by the Special Air Service and Parachute Regiment in Sierra Leone on 10 September, 2000.

Situation

Six members of Britain's Royal Irish Regiment and a local guide were being held hostage by the West Side Boys, former members of the Sierra Leone Army turned rebels. Hidden SAS observers had seen the commander, Brigadier Foday Kallay, conduct a mock execution of the prisoners and recommended immediate extraction.

British Order of Battle

• A Company, 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment
• 1 Company Commander, British C-in-C
• 3 platoons SAS, each consisting of the following:
  • 1 Chinook C-47 (MMG) for insertion
  • 4 Mixed Assault rifle squads with platoon commander
  • Weapons platoon
  • 3 Medium artillery (Reserve asset)
  • SAS Hostage Extraction Teams
  • 2 Assault Rifle squads with commander
  • SBS Support Team
  • 1 Assault Rifle squad
  • 2 Lynx Helicopter Gunships

The West Side Boys Order of Battle (estimated)

• "Brigadier" Foday Kallay, WSB C-in-C
• Terminator's Squad
  • Commander Terminator
  • 2 Assault Rifle Squads
  • 1 Mixed Assault Rifle Squad
• Savage's Squad
  • Commander Savage
  • 2 Assault Rifle Squads
  • 1 Mixed Assault Rifle Squad
• Cambodia's Squad
  • Commander Cambodia
  • 2 Assault Rifle Squads
  • 1 Mixed Assault Rifle Squad
• Blood's Squad
  • Commander Blood
  • 2 Assault Rifle Squads
  • 1 Mixed Assault Rifle Squads
  • 1 Medium Artillery (Immediate asset)
  • 3 Land Rovers w/ .50 caliber machine guns (Regular speed, no armor, captured from British Army hostages)
  • Medium AAHMG
• Hostages

External link

• Barras