ENG - OTHER ANP Other 1 ANP KIA

(S/REL USA AND NATO, ISAF, KOR) AT APPROX 2050L 02 AUG 04, PRT PERSONNEL AT THE SAFE HOUSE IN LASHKAR GAH OBSERVED SMALL ARMS FIRE AND AN EXPLOSION APPROXIMATELY 300 METERS WEST OF THE SAFE HOUSE ACROSS THE RIVER. THE GUNFIRE LASTED APPROX 3-5 MINUTES AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SMALL EXPLOSION. A FEW ROUNDS OF SMALL ARMS FIRE IMPACTED THE SAFE HOUSE WALL HOWEVER THE BULK OF FIRE WAS NOT DIRECTED AT THE SAFE HOUSE. THE INCIDENT WAS AN AMBUSH OF A POLICE PATROL ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE HELMAND RIVER. THE POLICE CONDUCT PATROLS IN THAT AREA THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TO PROTECT THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE GOVERNORS QUARTERS. ONE POLICE OFFICER WAS KILLED BY SMALL ARMS FIRE, RPGS WERE FIRED AT THE PATROLLING VEHICLE BUT NONE HIT THEIR TARGET. SUSPECTS WERE NOT CAPTURED HOWEVER; POLICE SPECULATE AN AMF AND/OR CRIMINAL CONNECTION. THIS IS THE SECOND ATTACK ON POLICE FORCES IN THAT AREA IN THE LAST 4 DAYS. NO PRT PERSONNEL WERE INJURED IN THE INCIDENT. PRT CA PARTICIPATED IN USSF AERIAL RECON OF NAWZAD AND LASHKAR GAH IN PREPARATION FOR USSF/PRT CA MEDCAP AND CMOC MISSION. 3.C.2. (S/REL USA AND NATO, ISAF, KOR) AMBUSH OF POLICE PATROL AND PREVIOUS MINE/IED LAST WEEK HIGHLIGHTS INCREASED ANTI-GOVERNMENT/POLICE ACTIVITY IN THE MARJA/BOULAN AREA OF LASHKAR GAH DISTRICT. ALTHOUGH US/COALITION FORCES HAVE NOT BE TARGETED TO DATE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT US/COALITION PERSONNEL/CONVOYS TRAVEL WITH VISIBLE FORCE PROTECTION AND IN CONVOYS OF 3-4 VEHICLES MINIMUM.