Forward Operating Base Khar Nikah

Khar Nikah (Keenan)
Helmand Province, Afghanistan Near Mirmandab, Upper Gereshk Valley in Afghanistan
Site information
Type	FOB
Owner	ISAF
Operator	British Army
Controlled by	British Army
Open to the public	No
Condition	Defunct
Location
FOB Khar Nikah Shown within Afghanistan
Coordinates	31°51′N64°42′E / 31.85°N 64.70°E / 31.85; 64.70
Site history
Built	2007 (2007)
Built by	OP HERRICK 6 2007 - B Company, 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)
In use	2012
Battles/wars	Operation Achilles, Silicon, Silver, Mar Kardad, Lastay Kulang

Forward Operating Base Khar Nikah or more simply FOB Khar Nikah is a former Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan operated by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under Operation Herrick (OP H).

It was formerly known as FOB Keenan, but renamed to Khar Nikah to increase local mental ownership.

Khar Nikah is a phrase in Pashto that refers to a marriage or wedding ceremony. It combines the Pashto word "nikah" (marriage) with the word "khar" which can mean "donkey" and is used as an insult, suggesting a forced or undesirable marriage.

Source: Google

Units

FOB Keenan (2007-2010)

• OP H 6 (April – October 2007)
  • B Company, 1st Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) (Renamed 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment) built the base. ^[1]
• OP H 7 (October 2007 - April 2008)
  • No. 10 Platoon, No. 3 Company, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. ^[1]
  • Signals Platoon ^[2]
    • Support from Sniper Section, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards during December. ^[3]
• OP H 8 (April 2008 - October 2008)
  • 5Scots (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) 2Scots Royal highland fusiliers) attached to 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) supported by - Imjin Company (2 R IRISH Territorial unit)

FOB Khar Nikah

• OP H12 (May - Oct 2010)
  • Gurkha Company, 1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment (Cheshire)
• OP H 13 (October 2010 - April 2011)
  • No. 2 Company, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards
• OP H 14 (May - Oct 2011)
  • C Company, 3rd Battalion, Mercian Regiment (formerly 'The Staffords')
• OP H 15 (Oct 2011 - May 2012)
  • The Royal Gurkha Rifles
• ISAF 11 (May - June 2011)
  • DK National Guard, Force Protection Platoon (-) and a DK CIMIC unit
• ANA, ANP and ALP
  • ANA, 2nd Kandak (and specifically its 3rd Company)
  • ANP/police elements and local trained ALP

References

Citations

1. Coldstream 2016, p. 55.
2. Coldstream 2016, p. 75.
3. Coldstream 2016, p. 44.

Bibliography

• Guards, Coldstream (2016). 10 Years in Afghanistan. UK: Coldstream Guards.

Khar Nikah in the media

Getty Images from Khar Nikah