Takur Ghar

Last updated
Takur Ghar
Highest point
Elevation 3,191 m (10,469 ft)
Coordinates 33°20′32″N69°12′50″E / 33.3421°N 69.2138°E / 33.3421; 69.2138 Coordinates: 33°20′32″N69°12′50″E / 33.3421°N 69.2138°E / 33.3421; 69.2138
Naming
Native nameكوۀ تاكر (Pashto)
Geography
LocationSoutheastern Afghanistan
Province Paktia
Parent range Arma Mountains

Takur Ghar is a high mountain located in the Arma Mountains of southeastern Afghanistan. The peak is on the eastern border of the Shah-i-Kot Valley.

The peak of Takur Ghar was the location of fierce fighting between US Special Operations Forces and al-Qaeda insurgents, as well as Taliban fighters, during Operation Anaconda in March 2002 as part of the larger US war in Afghanistan. [1]

Takur Ghar is featured in the 2010 video game Medal of Honor .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Anaconda</span> 2002 military offensive against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban during the War in Afghanistan

Operation Anaconda was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. CIA paramilitary officers, working with their allies, attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. The operation took place in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. This operation was the first large-scale battle in the post-2001 War in Afghanistan since the Battle of Tora Bora in December 2001. This was the first operation in the Afghanistan theater to involve a large number of U.S. forces participating in direct combat activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulaiman Mountains</span> Mountain range in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The Sulaiman Mountains, also known as Kōh-e Sulaymān or Da Kasē Ghrūna, are a north–south extension of the southern Hindu Kush mountain system in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They rise to form the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau. They are located in the Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika and Paktia provinces of Afghanistan, and in Pakistan they extend over the northern part of Balochistan and some southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In southwestern Punjab, the mountains extend into the two districts of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, which are located west of the Indus River on the boundary with Balochistan. Bordering the mountains to the east are the plains of the Indus River valley, and to the north are the arid highlands of the Central Hindu Kush whose heights extend up to 3,383 metres (11,099 ft). Together with the Kirthar Mountains on the border between Balochistan and Sindh, the Sulaiman Mountains form what is known as the Sulaiman-Kirthar geologic province.

MV <i>TSgt John A. Chapman</i> (T-AK-323) US Military Sealift Command Buffalo Soldier-class container ship

MV TSgt John A. Chapman (T-AK-323) was a Buffalo Soldier-class container ship. She was one of Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Ranger Battalion</span> Military unit

The 1st Ranger Battalion, currently based at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is the first of three ranger battalions belonging to the United States Army's 75th Ranger Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spīn Ghar</span> Mountain range in eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan

The Spīn Ghar or Safēd Kōh meaning both White Mountains, or sometimes Selseleh-ye Safīd Kūh meaning White Mountain range, is a mountain range to the south of the Hindu Kush. It ranges from eastern Afghanistan into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and forms a natural border between the two areas. Its highest peak is Mount Sikaram on the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, which towers above all surrounding hills to 4,755 m (15,600 ft) above mean sea level. The lower hills are mostly barren and treeless, but pine grows on the main mountains that form the East Afghan montane conifer forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Sikaram</span>

Mount Sikaram is a mountain on the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, south of the Kabul River and Khyber Pass. At 4,755 m (15,600 ft), it is the highest peak of the Spīn Ghar, or Safēd Kōh, mountain range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intelligence Support Activity</span> United States Army Special Operations unit

The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), also known at various times as Joint Reconnaissance Evaluation Group (JREG), Mission Support Activity (MSA), Office of Military Support (OMS), Field Operations Group (FOG), Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), Tactical Concept Activity, Tactical Support Team, and Tactical Coordination Detachment, and also nicknamed The Activity and the Army of Northern Virginia, is a United States Army Special Operations unit which serves as the intelligence gathering component of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Within JSOC, the unit is often referred to as Task Force Orange. Originally subordinated to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), it is one of the least known intelligence components of the United States military, tasked with clandestine HUMINT operations and collecting actionable intelligence during or prior to JSOC missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Takur Ghar</span> 2002 battle of the War in Afghanistan, between U.S. and al-Qaeda forces

The Battle of Takur Ghar was a short but intense military engagement between United States special operations forces and al-Qaeda insurgents fought in March 2002, atop Takur Ghar mountain in Afghanistan. For the U.S. side, the battle proved the deadliest entanglement of Operation Anaconda, an effort early in the War in Afghanistan to rout al-Qaeda forces from the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains. The battle saw three helicopter landings by the U.S. on the mountain top, each greeted by direct assault from al-Qaeda forces. Although Takur Ghar was eventually taken, seven U.S. service members were killed and 12 others were wounded. The battle is also known as the Battle of Roberts Ridge, after the first casualty of the battle, Navy SEAL Neil C. Roberts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Jacana</span>

Operation Jacana is the codename for a series of operations carried out by coalition forces in Afghanistan. The operations were carried out most notably by 45 Commando Royal Marines. U.S. forces, Australian SAS and Norwegian FSK also participated. The operation was a follow-up operation of Operation Anaconda and was meant to kill or capture the remaining Al-Qaida and Taliban rebels. The operation has been called a "mopping up" operation after Operation Anaconda. The operation is named after an African bird type, jacana, described in one manual as "shy, retiring, easily overlooked".

Nathan E. Self is an American author and former United States Army officer.

Maulvi Saif-ur Mansur was a senior Taliban commander.

There were 2,402 United States military deaths in the War in Afghanistan. 1,921 of these deaths were the result of hostile action. 20,713 American servicemembers were also wounded in action during the war. In addition, 18 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives also died in Afghanistan. Further, there were 1,822 civilian contractor fatalities.

John Chapman was a French soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Chapman received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Sayler's Creek in Virginia on 6 April 1865. He was honored with the award on 10 May 1865.

Combined Joint Task Force 180 was a provisional multinational land formation, primarily made up of units from the United States Army, that fought in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), especially in the initial invasion phase of 2001-2002. It was active from May 2002 to 2003/05. It was the senior headquarters in country reporting to United States Central Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John A. Chapman</span> United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient

John Allan Chapman was a combat controller in the United States Air Force who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August 22, 2018, for his actions in the Battle of Takur Ghar during the War in Afghanistan. He is the first airman to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. He was inducted into the Hall of Heroes on August 23, 2018, and posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant on the following day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britt K. Slabinski</span> United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient (born 1969)

Britt Kelly Slabinski is a retired United States Navy SEAL who was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 24, 2018, for his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar. He also participated in the highly publicized rescue mission to recover Army PFC Jessica Lynch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Mongoose (2003)</span>

Operation Mongoose was an American-led two week cave clearing operation in the Adi Ghar Mountains near the town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar Province. Launched on the 28 January 2003, over 350 US and coalition soldiers along with Afghan militia fighters, assisted by Apache helicopters and Norwegian F-16 fighter jets participated with the objective of searching through and destroying caves used by Hezb-e Islami, Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives. By the end of the operation, over 75 caves had been cleared.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">123rd Special Tactics Squadron</span> Military unit

The 123rd Special Tactics Squadron is a special operations unit of the Kentucky Air National Guard 123d Airlift Wing stationed at Louisville International Airport, Kentucky. The 123rd STS is one of only two Special Tactics Units in the Air National Guard.

References

  1. Naylor, Sean (2005). Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. New York: Penguin Group.