- Operation Achilles
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This article is about the NATO operation in Afghanistan. For the police investigation of the same name, see Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty.
Operation Achilles Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
82nd Airborne Division patrol the Ghorak Valley of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan during Operation Achilles, March 6.Date March 6 – May 30, 2007 Location Helmand province, Afghanistan Result Tactical Coalition victory. Belligerents Coalition:
United Kingdom,
United States,
Afghan National Army,
Denmark,
Canada,
Netherlands,
Poland[1]
Taliban insurgents
Commanders and leaders Gen.Dan McNeill
Maj.-Gen. Jacko Page
Mullah Dadullah †,
Mullah Abdul Qassim
Strength 4,200 (United Kingdom),
1,000 (United States),
1,000 (ANA),
320 (Denmark),
300 (Canada),
200 (Netherlands),
80 (Poland)10,000 (Taliban claim), about 4,000 according to NATO sources Casualties and losses 19 killed (ANA),
6 killed (UK),
6 killed (Canada),
2 killed (US),
1 killed (Denmark),
1 killed (Netherlands),
Total: 35 killedUnknown killed, estimates between 750-1,000
28 capturedLejay · Eagle Fury · Lashkar Gah · Mountain Thrust · Sangin · Mountain Fury · Now Zad · Achilles · Musa Qala I · Volcano · Kryptonite · Silver · Pickaxe-Handle · Hammer · Nasrat · Musa Qala II · Garmsir · Eagle's Summit · Red Dagger · Shahi Tandar · Diesel · Mar Lewe · Panther's Claw · Strike of the Sword · Dahaneh · Cobra's Anger · Moshtarak · Tor Shezada
Timeline
2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011
Battles and operationsCrescent Wind · Rhino · Mazari Sharif · Kunduz · Herat · Kabul · Tawin Kowt · Shawali Kowt · Sayyd Alma Kalay · Qala-i-Jangi · Kandahar · Tora Bora
Lejay · Eagle Fury · Lashkar Gah · Mountain Thrust · Sangin · Mountain Fury · Now Zad · Achilles · Musa Qala I · Volcano · Kryptonite · Silver · Pickaxe-Handle · Hammer · Nasrat · Musa Qala II · Garmsir · Eagle's Summit · Red Dagger · Shahi Tandar · Diesel · Mar Lewe · Panther's Claw · Strike of the Sword · Dahaneh · Cobra's Anger · Moshtarak · Tor Shezada
Medusa · Avalanche · Kaika · Panjwaii · Falcon Summit · Hoover · Luger · Kamin · Shah Wali Kot · 1st Kandahar · Spin Boldak · Sarposa Prison · Arghandab · Wech Baghtu · 2nd Kandahar · Nadahan wedding bombing · Kandahar
1st Kabul · Hotel Serena · 1st Indian Embassy · Uzbin · Feb 2009 Kabul raid · 2nd Indian Embassy · Bakhtar guest house · NATO headquarters · Jan 2010 Kabul raid · Feb 2010 Kabul raid · May 2010 Kabul bombing · NATO convoy
Kunduz airstrike · Oqab · Chora · Firebase Anaconda · Shewan · Balamorghab · Derapet ·
Airstrikes
Hyderabad · Sayyd Alma Kalay · Gora Prai · Azizabad · Granai · Deh Bala · Sangin · UruzganInsurgent attacks
Bagram Air Base · Baghlan · Camp ChapmanOperation Achilles was a NATO operation, part of the war in Afghanistan. Its objective was to clear the Helmand province of the Taliban. The operation began on March 6 of 2007 and the offensive was the largest NATO based operation ever held in Afghanistan to date. NATO officials reported that, contrary to previous operations, Taliban fighters were avoiding direct confrontation in favor of guerilla tactics.
It was led by British ISAF forces and focused on the Kajakai Dam and the towns in the area, which is a major power source for Afghanistan that had not been functioning for a number of years. One part of the mission was Operation Volcano, where British Royal Marines successfully cleared a large Taliban complex near the Kajakai Dam,[2] as well as Operation Kryptonite which actually saw the clearing of the dam by allied forces.
Contents
Background
On March 16, U.S. General Dan McNeill reported that NATO forces were battling insurgents in various places in Southern Afghanistan but that most of the rebel fighters were steering clear of Western troops. He also said that NATO would launch new operations against the Taliban during the spring and summer.
Operation
Operation Volcano, part of Operation Achilles, saw British Royal Marines clear a Taliban base, consisting of 25 compounds, near the Kajaki hydroelectric dam. The Royal Marines received heavy fire from Taliban assault rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The Royal Marines systematically cleared the compounds and buildings, backed up by mortars and air support.[3]
On April 3, US and Afghan forces raided a compound in the Helmand province, after getting a tip-off that a junior Taliban commander was hiding there. Indeed, Taliban forces were present. Heavy fighting broke out, which left at least 10 Taliban dead and two captured. The coalition had no casualties. The fate of the junior commander remains unknown.[4]
On April 30, 1,000 ISAF troops, alongside Afghan National Army ground forces, pushed northwards through the Sangin Valley driving the Taliban from Gereshk and the surrounding villages.[5] It was reported that coalition troops killed more than 130 Taliban fighters, but thousands of Afghans staged a protest saying the victims were civilians. Backed by air support, the Taliban fighters were killed in two separate battles in the western province of Herat, according to a US military statement. As part of the operation, British Royal Engineers built company sized patrol bases for the Afghan National Security Forces.
The deaths triggered an angry protest - the second in the country in two days - over what local villagers claimed was the killing of civilians. Herat, bordering Iran, had been relatively safe until recently compared with the south and east where the Taliban are most active. Both battles were in the Zerkoh valley, south of Shindand district, where Western troops have a large base, and running into Farah province further south.
A total of 87 Taliban fighters were killed during a 14-hour battle with US-led troops and Afghan forces on Sunday. Another 49 Taliban, including two of their leaders, were killed two days earlier after a group of Taliban fired at a joint coalition and Afghan patrol in another part of the valley. However, local officials said that up to 51 civilians, including women and children, were among the dead.
May timeline
February 2007, Operation Volcano, a British operation to clear a Taliban base near the Kajaki hydroelectric dam.
May 1, southern Afghanistan NATO Commander Major-General Ton van Loon of the Netherlands was succeeded by Major-General Jacko Page of the United Kingdom.
May 13, 2007 Mullah Dadullah 2nd in command of the Taliban was killed in a clash with US, Afghan and NATO forces in Helmand Province. He was killed after coalition forces and Afghan forces found him leaving his hideout. Mullah Dadullah was the most experienced Commander the Taliban had at the time of his death.
May 18, Airstrikes targeted a convoy of suspected Taliban militants who had left a meeting in western Afghanistan, killing 14 and wounding 10, a provincial governor reported.
May 21, Taliban militants ambushed a joint U.S.coalition and Afghan patrol in a southern town near Helmand, sparking a battle and airstrikes that killed 25 suspected insurgents, U.S.officials said.
May 30, Operation Achilles ended and the new Operation Lastay Kulang began.[6]
References
- ^ Pierwsza misja bojowa GROM w Afganistanie (pl)
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/MarinesClearTalibanFromKeyAfghanDamvideo.htm Royal Marines clear Taliban from key Afghan dam, UK Ministry of Defence
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/MarinesClearTalibanFromKeyAfghanDamvideo.htm Marines clear Taliban from key Afghan dam - UK MoD
- ^ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL175391.htm U.S.-led troops kill 10 Taliban in Afghanistan
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/OnTheHeelsOfAchillesvideo.htm On the heels of Achilles, UK Ministry of Defence
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/UkledOperationHelpsIsafTakeControlInNorthernHelmandvideo.htm UK-led operation helps ISAF take control in northern Helmand, UK Ministry of Defence
External links
- Commander: Taliban ready to battle NATO; Rahim Faiez; yahoo.com
- NATO launches Taliban offensive - Al Jazeera English On May 6, Taliban said they had kidnapped a Briton and two Afghans in Helmand. Unconfirmed media reports said the kidnapped people were journalists.
- NATO press release about the operation
Invasion / occupation Casualties / losses Controversy Bagram torture and prisoner abuse · Guantanamo Bay detention camp · Salt Pit · Dasht-i-Leili massacre · Shinwar shooting · Hyderabad airstrike · Nangar Khel incident · Deh Bala wedding party bombing · Azizabad airstrike · Wech Baghtu wedding party attack · Granai airstrike · Kunduz airstrike · Narang night raid · Khataba raid · Uruzgan helicopter attack · Sangin airstrike · Maywand District killings · Tarok Kolache · Mano Gai airstrike
Reactions Afghan War documents leak · International public opinion · Opposition · Protests
Afghan War at Wikinews · Commons Coordinates: 32°04′24″N 64°50′02″E / 32.07333°N 64.83389°E
Categories:- Conflicts in 2007
- 2007 in Afghanistan
- NATO operations in Afghanistan
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United Kingdom
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving Afghanistan
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the Netherlands
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving Canada
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving Denmark
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Look at other dictionaries:
Operation Achilles — Teil von: Krieg in Afghanistan … Deutsch Wikipedia
Opération Achilles — 32°04′24″N 64°50′02″E / 32.07333, 64.83389 … Wikipédia en Français
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Operation Kryptonite — Part of Operation Achilles, War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The Kajak … Wikipedia
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