OP Rock - Paranormal Activity at an Outpost in Afghanistan
The haunted OP Rock in Afghanistan. Photo: SyFy
Soldiers stationed at OP Rock have witnessed bizarre occurrences: eerie lights, chilling static on the radio, fluctuating temperatures, and haunting whispers in the night, accompanied by an unexplained stench of death.
What is OP Rock?
Observation Point Rock, also known as OP Rock, is a strategic location in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. It is situated a few hundred meters southeast of Patrol Base Hassan Abad.
Its elevation and natural defensive position have made it an important stronghold for centuries, with medieval arrow slits and remnants of fortified turrets indicating its use as a mud fort. Locals claim it dates back to Alexander the Great. OP Rock was captured by NATO forces from the Taliban in 2008.
After US Marines dropped a bomb on one side of the post, causing part of the structure to collapse, troops were sent to guard it in shifts for months at a time. Its recent history is marked by strange occurrences that have earned it the moniker "the haunted Observation Point."
Even before the American occupation of Afghanistan Observation Point Rock was thought by locals to be cursed.
The Paranormal Activity at OP Rock
Soldiers stationed at the OP Rock have reported experiencing chilling phenomena such as unexplained lights, eerie voices, and sudden temperature changes from hot to cold.
Many soldiers claimed to feel uneasy, sensing that something or someone was watching them, while some even reported hearing whispers in Russian. The unsettling feeling was accompanied by a recurring smell of death, which became a common occurrence at the outpost.
For several years during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, a significant number of Russian soldiers were stationed at the Observation Post Rock. According to rumors, these soldiers were executed by the Mujahidin, guerrilla-type militant groups led by Islamist Afghan fighters during the Soviet-Afghan War from 1979 to 1989.
Some have speculated that the ghosts of these Russian soldiers still haunt the Observation Post Rock.
As American and British units rotated in and out of the base, they discovered buried human bones within the Rock. The Americans later admitted to launching a missile that had struck the outpost before they seized it, burying Taliban fighters inside.
Strangely, the bones unearthed were not that of the Taliban, with some believed to be hundreds of years old. The mystery of the Rock deepened as soldiers continued to experience unexplained occurrences and discovered unsettling artifacts that defied explanation.
A Welsh Guards unit stationed at the OP Rock reported spine-chilling paranormal encounters. According to their accounts, the atmosphere at night was particularly unnerving, especially between midnight and 4 am, when they often observed unexplained lights in the sky through their night-vision goggles.
One former Marine, Jose Herrera, who spent time at the outpost in 2009, described the Rock as a conduit for paranormal activity. The smell of death was pervasive and overwhelming, hitting them in sudden gusts or whiffs during the night. The Rock seemed to have an unsettling presence that defied explanation, making it a place of mystery and intrigue for those who experienced its chilling aura.
Possible Explanations for the Haunting of OP Rock
It has been suggested that the lights seen around OP Rock could be balls of electricity caused by the dry atmosphere.
The smell of death could be somewhat explained by the recent bombings. Perhaps there are dead bodies of people or animals still trapped within the area somewhere. Eventually, as the bodies decompose the smell should go away but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
What do you think is causing the paranormal phenomena at Observation Point Rock? Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed learning about the haunting of OP rock you might also be interested in the mysterious Giant of Kandahar or the mysterious dome of light seen by military aircraft.
