Task Force 145

Task Force 145 is a combined U.S. and British military special forces group specifically charged with hunting down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and, prior to his death on June 7, 2006, Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. It is a continuation of a temporary SF striking force that began as Task Force 11 after the September 11 terrorist attacks, and has morphed through Task Force 121, Task Force 626 and is now believed to be designated Task Force 77 [Hala Jaber, Sarah Baxter and Michael Smith, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article673601.ece How Iraq's Ghost of Death was Cornered] , The Times Online, June 11, 2006] (not to be confused with Task Force 77 of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet). It is believed that the Task Force played a role in the medium altitude strike mission that killed al-Zarqawi just outside Baqubah. [ [http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/victory_for_tas.html http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/victory_for_tas.html] The Blotter: Brian Ross Reports, "ABC News". June 08, 2006 9:12 AM] Generally speaking, the Task Force is charged with disrupting al-Qaeda operations in Iraq and, to a lesser extent, Afghanistan.

It is believed that the Force is composed of portions of the Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta,160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers) and 75th Ranger Regiment; the Navy’s DEVGRU; the Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron; British paratroopers from the Special Forces Support Group; and a British Special Air Service “Sabre squadron." Members of the CIA's elite Special Activities Division paramilitary unit are also believed to be an important part of the group.” [Sean D. Naylor, [http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1739387.php SpecOps Unit nearly nabs Zarqawi] , (from " [http://www.armytimes.com/index.php www.armytimes.com] ", April 28, 2006)]

Operations

The task force is noted as operating in a highly autonomous fashion. In the only known operation which they conducted it is said that they conducted several raids that did not require approval from higher authorities. These are said to have been helpful in leading to the elimination of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Over 18 months beginning in early 2007, the task force is reported to have arrested 3,500 terrorists in Baghdad and killed several hundred others. As a result, al Qaeda bomb attacks that were occurring on an average of 150 times and killing almost 3,000 people each month have been reduced to about two bombings each month. During the campaign, six SAS troops were killed and 30 injured, with an equivalent number or more casualties occurring among the participating Delta Force units. [Rayment, Sean, "SAS Kill Hundreds Of Terrorists In 'Secret War' Against Al-Qaeda In Iraq", "London Sunday Telegraph", August 31, 2008.]

Organization

(see Iraq War order of battle)
*Task Force 77 (formerly Task Force 145) -- LSA Anaconda, Balad
**TF Black - Elements, 22 SAS, Royal Marines SBS, Basra area [TF 145's subdivision into four subordinate TF is according to an April 28, 2006 Army Times article]
**TF North/unidentified battalion 75th Ranger Regiment -- unknown location, northern Iraq
**TF West/unidentified element, Naval Special Warfare Development Group -- unknown location, western Iraq
**TF Center/unidentified squadron, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta -- LSA Anaconda
**TF Orange - detachments of various intelligence agencies [Michael Smith, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2461368.ece Secret War of the SAS] , Sunday Times, September 16, 2007. Note that in this newspaper report Task Force 77 seems to be incorrectly referred to as Task Force 88.]

Details

"This section was current as of October 2006"

TF 145, or TF 77 as it may now be known, is commanded by a colonel (the commanding officer of the Army's Delta Force) [Michael Smith, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2461368.ece Secret War of the SAS] , Sunday Times, September 16, 2007. Note that in this newspaper report Task Force 77 seems to be incorrectly referred to as Task Force 88.] and is based at five locations across Iraq. Its task organization draws on every unit of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as well as on the CIA's Special Activities Division and British special operations forces.

The headquarters element, which includes the majority of the task force's many aviation and intelligence assets, is based at Balad Air Base between Samarra and Baghdad; the four elements that it controls, each commanded by a lieutenant colonel or equivalent, are spread across the country.

The first of the four elements is Task Force Black. Based in the Basra area, TF Black (which is supported by Parachute Regiment troopers of Task Force Red, a separate organization) [Thomas Harding, [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1516530/US-calls-in-Paras-for-Baghdad-secret-war.html US Calls in Paras for Baghdad Secret War] , Daily Telegraph, 24 April 2006] is based around a squadron of the British army's 22 Special Air Service Regiment, with integrated units from the Royal Marines Special Boat Service. TF Black is responsible for the southern portion of the country, but has participated in operations in the Baghdad area when British or Canadian hostages are involved. Operation Marlborough in July 2005, when the SAS killed three insurgent would-be suicide bombers, was also carried out by this unit in the Iraqi capital. [Daily Telegraph, [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1503449/Revealed-SAS-mission-to-kill-a-Baghdad-suicide-squad.html Revealed: SAS Mission to kill a Baghdad Suicide Squad] , 19 November 2005, and http://www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/sas-operations/operation-marlborough/] Sergeant Jon Hollingsworth, killed in Iraq with the SAS, was decorated for his service in this unit.

Task Force Center is probably co-located with TF 145's headquarters element at Balad, but it could also be based at Camp Liberty, since it is responsible for the Baghdad region. TF Center is based around a direct-action squadron; the three Delta Force squadrons and SEAL Team 6 appear to rotate through this position. It is also supported by a rotating company-sized element of the 75th Ranger Regiment and elements of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. TF Center has taken casualties in the Yusufiya area, where one of its helicopters was shot down in spring 2006.

Task Force West is structured similarly to TF Center in that it has a company-sized force protection element from the 75th Rangers and is based around a battalion-sized direct action unit that can at any given time be a Delta Force squadron or Naval Special Warfare Development Group (known also as SEAL Team 6). It seems that these units rotate every three to four months. TF West is responsible for operations in Anbar, where it is known to have been active at various times in Fallujah, Qaim, Husayba, and Ramadi. It is likely that TF West is based either at Camp Asad or Camp Taqaddum.

Task Force North is organized differently: it is based around a full battalion of the 75th Rangers (the position rotates among the three battalions), with a company-sized element from Delta Force acting in support. It is possible that TF North is based anywhere from FOB Marez in Mosul down to COB Speicher near Tikrit.

References

External links and associated pages

*See also Task Force 121 (an earlier designation for roughly the same unit, circa 2003) and Task Force 6-26
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/tf-145.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/tf-145.htm] Task Force 145- GlobalSecurity.org
*Brian Ross, [http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/06/secret_us_task_.html Secret U.S. task force changes its name, again] , The Blotter, ABC News, June 12, 2006
*Mark Bowden, [http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200705/tracking-zarqawi The Ploy] , Atlantic Monthly, May 2007