Operation Kaika

Last updated
Operation Kaika
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
DateJune 23 24, 2006
Location
Result US victory. Taliban retreat
Heavy Afghan police casualties
Belligerents
Coalition:
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Afghanistan (2004-2013).svg Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Flag of the Taliban.svg Taliban
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United States.svg Captain Sheffield F. Ford III [1] Unknown
Strength
Flag of the United States.svg 17
Flag of Afghanistan (2004-2013).svg 48 [2]
8 insurgents (AWD) [3]
200 insurgents (US Mil.) [1]
Casualties and losses
Flag of the United States.svg 2 killed
Flag of Afghanistan (2004-2013).svg 3 killed
120 killed [2]

Operation Kaika was a joint operation between American Special Forces and Afghan National Army soldiers, to establish a control base as part of the larger Operation Mountain Thrust, and clear Taliban fighters from three villages about 12 miles southwest of Kandahar, Afghanistan in June 2006. [1] [4]

Contents

The battle took an unexpected twist when Afghan forces "laid siege" to the American-supported troops, "convinced they had the Americans cornered", the militants spearheaded three large assaults over the course of three days. [1] It became "one of the most sustained battles" of the war. [4]

Opening

As the American-led force of 9 Special Forces soldiers, 8 regular American soldiers and 48 Afghan soldiers approached the villages to be "swept" for insurgents, they were surprised to find the Afghan militants had "sophisticated communications" and heavy weaponry awaiting their arrival - and were quickly surrounded. [1]

Pinned down in the city, the Americans organised a team of 20 Afghan soldiers and several Special Forces to try and penetrate the surrounding teams of militants and make it through to the village's graveyard, where it was believed the militants were being commanded. The militants allowed the small splinter group to "escape" to the graveyard, where they discovered it had been a trap and they were surrounded.

American Sgt. Matthew Binney was wounded by machine gun fire in the head, shoulder and arm. Sgt. Joe Fuerst was mortally wounded by the shock of a rocket propelled grenade and Master Sgt. Thomas Maholic was killed by a single gunshot wound in the head. The Afghan interpreter with them, dubbed "Jacob", then heard the militants yell out to him, explaining that they wanted to capture the Americans alive, and would allow him to leave unharmed. "Jacob" then radioed back to Ford's crew who were still pinned down in the village and requested permission to kill the two wounded Americans to prevent their capture. He was chastised, and Ford promised him that help was en route.

American airstrikes, including close support by AH-64 Apache helicopters, allowed the US and Afghan troops to escape while inflicting heavy losses on the Taliban.

Two US Army soldiers, and approximately 120 insurgents were killed. [2]

Aftermath

Captain Sheffield Ford, Master Sgt. Thomas Maholic (posthumously), Sgt. Matthew Binney and Sgt. 1st Class Abram Hernandez were awarded the Silver Star for their actions in the battle, while Sgt. 1st Class Tony Pastor, Sgt. 1st Class Ebbon Brown, Staff Sgt. Ariel Aponte, Staff Sgt. Charles Lyles and Staff Sgt. Michael Sanabria were awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device for valor. [1] Master Sgt. Brendan O'Connor, was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the United States government for his actions during the operation. [5]

Related Research Articles

Taliban insurgency Insurgency during the War in Afghanistan

The Taliban insurgency was an insurgency that began after the group's fall from power during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces fought against the Afghan government, led by President Hamid Karzai, and later by President Ashraf Ghani, and against a US-led coalition of forces that has included all members of NATO; the 2021 Taliban offensive resulted in the collapse of the government of Ashraf Ghani.

Operation Medusa Military operation in Afghanistan

Operation Medusa was a Canadian-led offensive during the second Battle of Panjwaii of the War in Afghanistan. The operation was fought primarily by the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group and other elements of the International Security Assistance Force, supported by the Afghan National Army and a team from the United States Army's 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) augmented by A Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division. Its goal was to establish government control over an area of Kandahar Province centered in the district of Panjwayi some 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Kandahar city. A tactical victory, it resulted in the deaths of 12 Canadian soldiers; five during the major combat operations, five in bombings, and two in a mortar/RPG attack during the reconstruction phase of the operation. Fourteen British military personnel were also killed when their plane crashed. Despite suffering a brutal battlefield defeat, the Taliban retained their presence in Kandahar province and did not lose their will to fight, leading to the subsequent Operation Falcon Summit. Nonetheless, Operation Medusa was at the time the most significant land battle ever undertaken by NATO.

Operation Mountain Fury Military operation in Afghanistan

Operation Mountain Fury was a NATO-led operation begun on September 16, 2006 as a follow-up operation to Operation Medusa, to clear Taliban insurgents from the eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Another focus of the operation was to enable reconstruction projects such as schools, health-care facilities, and courthouses to take place in the targeted provinces.

The Friendly fire incident at Sangin was a military incident that took place on March 29, 2006. Afghan insurgents mounted an assault on a forward operating base in Helmand province near the town of Lashkar Gah, which had been opened only six weeks earlier and was staffed by 100 ANA soldiers and their American trainers, using small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars.

Battle of Arghandab (2008) Battle during the War in Afghanistan

The Battle of Arghandab began on June 18, 2008, when NATO-led forces attacked Taliban militants in response to Taliban attacks in Arghandab District and Kandahar. The battle in Arghandab marked the second time in less than a year that the Taliban has tried to take control of the area.

Battle of Wanat 200 Taliban insurgents attack American troops stationed near Quam, Waygal district, Afghanistan

The Battle of Wanat took place on July 13, 2008, when around 200 Taliban insurgents attacked American troops stationed near Quam, in the Waygal district of Afghanistan's far eastern Nuristan province. The distant position was primarily defended by United States Army soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Uzbin Valley ambush 2008 battle during the War in Afghanistan

French International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops were ambushed by Afghan Taliban insurgents, with heavy casualties, in the Uzbin Valley outside the village of Spēṟ Kunday of the Surobi District of Kabul province in eastern Afghanistan on 18 August 2008.

Operation Kamin was an offensive launched by Taliban insurgents in May 2007 which aimed to kill American-backed government forces and foreign troops in Kandahar.

Battle of Shewan

The Battle of Shewan was a military engagement between Coalition forces and Taliban insurgents that took place on August 8, 2008, near the village of Shewan in the Bala Buluk district, Farah Province, Afghanistan.

Counterinsurgency in Northern Afghanistan Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

The following addresses the events in Northern Afghanistan between April 2009 and 2014. While this part of the country had long been relatively peaceful compared to the all-out war zones of the south and east, tensions would flare up again in 2008 when the German soldiers deployed to the area came under attack more often, leading to the deaths of the several soldiers. Previously hindered by national caveats, the deteroriating security situation prompted the German-led Regional Command North to launch a series of operations to take on the rising insurgency. Concerted operations began after an insurgent attack on PRT Kunduz within minutes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's departure from a visit. Within two years, the German presence would be doubled and additional reinforcements from the American ISAF contingent were called in, including heavy German armoured vehicles and US aviation assets, allowing for a more aggressive approach towards the insurgency.

Battle of Kamdesh Operation underdown during the War in Afghanistan

The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of 300 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32 km) away from Kamdesh. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed.

See also: 2007 in Afghanistan, other events of 2008, 2009 in Afghanistan and Timeline of the War in Afghanistan (2001-14).

Battle of Ganjgal Afghanistan war engagement (2009)

The Battle of Ganjgal was a battle in the War in Afghanistan fought between American and Afghan forces and the Taliban in Kunar Province, Afghanistan on September 8, 2009. Complaints that the coalition casualties were avoidable and caused by a failure of the chain of command to provide fire support for the team triggered an official investigation and a series of reprimands to several US military officers. Army Captain William D. Swenson and Marine Corporal Dakota Meyer received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle. Meyer is the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and Swenson is the fifth living soldier and second officer to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. Two other Marines at the battle, Staff Sgt. Juan Rodriguez-Chavez and Capt. Ademola Fabayo, received the Navy Cross.

The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Afghanistan.

Operation Halmazag Offensive operation in Afghanistan

Operation Halmazag was an offensive operation by ISAF German-led troops in close cooperation with the Afghan security forces in the province of Kunduz, from 31 October to 4 November 2010, with the aim of building a permanent outpost near the village of Quatliam in the Char Dara district, south-west of Kunduz. The operation was the first German military ground offensive since World War II.

The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Afghanistan.

Battle of Boz Qandahari

The Battle of Boz Qandahari occurred on 3 November 2016, in the village of Boz Qandahari, on the western outskirts of the Afghan city of Kunduz, between Afghan National Army Commandos alongside United States Army Special Forces against Taliban insurgents.

Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan.

The town of Sangin, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was captured by the Taliban on 23 March 2017. For two months, the Taliban had launched fresh attacks in trying to recapture the town.

Battle of Darzab (2018)

The Battle of Darzab was a major conflict between the Taliban and the Islamic State's Khorasan Province (IS-KP) who fought each other over control of Jowzjan Province's Darzab District in Afghanistan. Following heavy clashes, IS-KP was defeated, with most of the group's forces in Jowzjan Province killed or captured.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IBD Editorials, Capt. Ford's Drive to Victory in Afghanistan Archived 2009-06-03 at the Wayback Machine , January 18, 2008
  2. 1 2 3 CBS, 60 Minutes
  3. "(ENEMY ACTION) DIRECT FIRE RPT (Small Arms) CJSOTF-A : 2 CF KIA 1 CF WIA -- War Log Explorer".
  4. 1 2 Netzer, Jaime. Veterans of Foreign Wars, "Two Afghanistan Battles Demonstrate American Gallantry in Action"
  5. Maurer, "Soldier Shed Armor To Save Wounded"