Operation Toral

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Operation Toral
Part of Resolute Support Mission in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
PUMA SQUADRON MARKS 100 YEARS MOD 45159769.jpg
RAF Puma helicopter of 33 Squadron deploying flares whilst on Operation Toral in Afghanistan, 14 December 2015.
Location
Afghanistan
Objectivetraining, advising and assisting the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces
Date1 January 2015 – 8 July 2021
Executed by Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
OutcomeOperational failure
Fall of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Casualties3 (non-combat) killed

Operation Toral was the codename for the British presence within Afghanistan post-2014 as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission. UK forces had two major tasks: training and mentoring Afghan Forces, and providing force protection for NATO advisors via the Kabul Security Force/Kabul Protection Unit. [1]

Contents

The operation drew to a close on 8 July 2021 with the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from the country. However, British troops were subsequently redeployed under Operation Pitting in August 2021 to evacuate British nationals and staff following the 2021 Taliban offensive. [2]

Background

Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in the War in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 to the end of combat operations in 2014. It consisted of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and support to the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

In December 2012 Prime Minister David Cameron announced that 3,800 troops—almost half of the force serving in Helmand Province—would be withdrawn during 2013 [3] with numbers to fall to approximately 5,200. [4] The UK ceased all combat operations in Afghanistan and withdrew the last of its combat troops on 27 October 2014. [5] [6] Between 2001 and 24 July 2015 a total of 454 British military personnel have died on operations in Afghanistan. [7] [8]

History

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment in a Foxhound, providing over watch security for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) 10-year graduation ceremony. 23 November 2017. Foxhound in a Kabul ANAOA 10 - Op TORAL MOD 45163475.jpg
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment in a Foxhound, providing over watch security for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) 10-year graduation ceremony. 23 November 2017.

Air Force Times reported that On 11 October 2015, An RAF Puma MK2 helicopter, carrying 9 crew and passengers, crashed as it was landing at NATO's Resolute Support Mission HQ in Kabul, after colliding with a .58 inch tether line of a Persistent Threat Detection System intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance blimp on the southwest edge of the compound. [9] Forces.net reported that 5 were killed (Flight lieutenant Alan Scott of 33 Squadron, and Flight lieutenant Geraint Roberts of 230 Squadron RAF and 3 US Servicemen) and 5 more were injured. [10]

A sniper team from 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment providing overwatch security for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) 10 year graduation ceremony, which was held at their Kabul facility. 23 November 2017. Sniper Team ANAOA 10 - Op TORAL MOD 45163476.jpg
A sniper team from 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment providing overwatch security for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) 10 year graduation ceremony, which was held at their Kabul facility. 23 November 2017.

The BBC reported that on 11 October 2015, a convoy of British military vehicles in Kabul was hit by an Taliban IED, at least 2 civilians (a woman and a child) were injured, there were no British casualties. The Taliban claimed the attack was in retaliation for airstrikes in Kunduz that had killed civilians and doctors (marking the first time British troops had been targeted in Kabul since British combat forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014), officials in Kabul said it was a suicide bombing. [11]

Forces.net reported that during the Taliban attack on the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul on 20 January 2018, members of 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, assisted by members of the Australian Army and the Oklahoma National Guard, evacuated 43 international civilians from the hotel. [12]

In July 2018, the Independent reported that following a request for reinforcements by President Donald Trump, the British government would deploy an additional 440 British troops to Afghanistan in a non-combat role of training and assisting Afghan forces, bringing total up to 1,100; the deployment began in August. [13]

The BBC reported that a paratrooper from 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment died in Kabul on 22 February 2020 due to a "non-battle injury". [14]

On 15 April 2021, Sky News reported that British troops in Afghanistan would begin their withdrawal in the following month, alongside other NATO allies. [15]

Operation Toral ended on 8 July 2021, however a small number of personnel remained in the country for diplomatic support. [16] Alongside NATO partners, the UK had trained 5,000 Afghan cadets, including 330 women, at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA). The withdrawal was carried out logistically across the armed forces, with the RAF alone making 50 flights, some of which involved the transportation of Puma helicopters. The Puma helicopters had airlifted 126,000 passengers and moved 660,000 kg of freight during their deployment. [16]

In August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan and an ensuing Taliban offensive, the UK redeployed troops to the country to facilitate the evacuation of British nationals and staff under Operation Pitting. [2]


Roulements

The below list doesn't include support elements or individual augmenters from the three Services, such as personnel who have been assigned to specific Staff Officer roles in HQ Resolute Support Mission.

Soldier from the Household Cavalry aiming his rifle whilst deployed on Operation Toral, 24 September 2018. Operation Toral-Afghanistan MOD 45166175.jpg
Soldier from the Household Cavalry aiming his rifle whilst deployed on Operation Toral, 24 September 2018.

British Army [17] [18]

Royal Air Force

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References

  1. ↑ "Taliban To Begin Spring Offensive In Afghanistan". Forces.net. 26 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Military operation established to support the drawdown of British nationals from Afghanistan". GOV.UK . 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "UK to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan during 2013". BBC. 19 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Afghanistan mission accomplished, says David Cameron". BBC. 16 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Last British troops leave Helmand". BBC News. 27 October 2014. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  6. ↑ "UK ends combat operations in Helmand". Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "British fatalities - Operations in Afghanistan - British fatalities in Afghanistan". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "British soldier dies three years after Afghanistan shooting". BBC News. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "Incredible valor: Air Force civilian helps save lives after deadly helo crash in Afghanistan". Air Force Times. 19 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Afghanistan Helicopter Crash Inquest: Players On Pitch Stopped Puma From Landing". Forces.net. 11 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Taliban attack UK military convoy in Afghan capital Kabul". BBC. 11 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "British Soldiers Conduct Evacuation After Afghan Hotel Attack". Forces.net. 24 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "UK to almost double number of troops in Afghanistan after Trump request for Nato reinforcements" . Independent. 11 July 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.
  14. ↑ "Paratrooper dies from 'non-battle injury' in Afghanistan". BBC. 2 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "British troops to withdraw from Afghanistan alongside NATO and the US". Sky News. 15 April 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Operation TORAL draws to an end as UK transitions to new phase of support to Afghanistan". GOV.UK. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  17. ↑ FOI Secretariat, FOI(A) request regarding Operation Toral (11 December 2020) , whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Op Toral". Adobe Spark. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  19. ↑ "Prince Of Wales Presents Medals To Soldiers Returning From Op Toral". Forces Network. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  20. ↑ "All You Need To Know About The Royal Gurkha Rifles". Forces Network. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  21. ↑ Tim Cooper (9 July 2019). "Prince Charles Awards Operational Honours To Gurkha Personnel". Forces Network. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  22. ↑ Hannah King (16 May 2019). "Op Toral: 2 YORKS Begin Training For Afghanistan Deployment". Forces Network. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  23. ↑ "Op Toral". Adobe Spark. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  24. ↑ "Army Medic Who Missed Deployment Due To COVID Helps Scottish Vaccine Rollout". Forces Network. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  25. 1 2 James Knuckey (8 July 2021). "Op Toral: What Is The British Military Mission In Afghanistan?". Forces Network. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  26. 1 2 "Last Commanding Officer in Afghanistan reflects on 20 years of deployment". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  27. ↑ Knuckey, James; Newton, Simon (8 July 2021). "Afghanistan: British Forces' Operation Toral Mission Ending". Forces Network. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  28. 1 2 "Chinook Force to be replaced in Afghanistan by Puma 2". RAF Odiham. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  29. ↑ Jennings, Gareth (28 June 2021). "UK returns Pumas from Afghanistan". Janes.com. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "'Superb' RAF Puma Helicopter Detachment Leaves Afghanistan". Forces Network. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
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