Posted on 07/27/2007 1:08:40 AM PDT by HAL9000
For the second time this week, US forces battled an entrenched Taliban unit inside Taliban controlled district of Musa Qala, which is located in the notorious southern province of Helmand. Initial reports suggest nearly 50 Taliban fighters died in the vicious 12 hour battle which began after Taliban soldiers ambushed an ANA patrol consisting of the 1st Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps. The troops came under attack by heavy machine gun fire, small arms and rocket propelled grenades, all of which were fired from 16 different compounds, according to the statement.US soldiers accompanying the ANA unit called in a series of air strikes on the compounds, resulting in most of the Taliban casualties. One US soldier suffered a broken hand and so far no ANA casualties have been recorded.
The incident occurred 20 kilometers north of Qaleh-ye Gaz village (northeastern Gereshk district), which is roughly 10 kilometers north of Shaban village.
On Monday, US forces clashed with Taliban fighters in the village of Shaban, which is only a few kilometers west of the Helmand river in the southern strip of Musa Qala. After being attacked by a suicide car bomber and a barrage of small arms and rocket propelled grenades, US soldiers called in air strikes on the compounds inhabited by Taliban fighters. The subsequent bombings left up to 48 Taliban dead, according to Coalition estimates.
The Taliban overtook the remote district back in February of this year and have occupied it with an iron fist ever since. Despite losing two key commanders running the takeover, the Taliban unit dug in, allegedly sowing the avenues and the partially destroyed district headquarters with booby-traps and landmines.
Musa Qala was one of the first instances where ISAF military personnel granted security to local tribal elders in what resembled a ‘cease-fire’ agreement. The condition was ISAF personnel would refrain from entering the district capital, Musa Qala City, if the Taliban forces were kept out by local security. The duty of security was handed over and overseen by the tribal elders.
The truce lasted nearly 3 months before a Coalition airs strike killed a regional Taliban commander on the outskirts of Musa Qala earlier this year. Seeking revenge, the slain commander’s brother led a charge into the city center, seized the district headquarters and systematically disarmed the local police. After he too was killed by a Coalition air strike, the remaining Taliban fighters reconstituted themselves and dug in; anxiously awaiting the imminent Coalition assault.
It never came. President Karzai, cautious about civilian casualties and the likely destruction of most of the city, reneged his commitment to retake the town and urged a diplomatic end to the occupation. Speculation about the true conditions inside Musa Qala has been sporadic ever since, but the few reports coming out of the district painted a dire picture. One such report from late June, indicates Taliban forces are exacting a heavy tax on the local residents, the burqa is compulsory for all women and schools have been closed.
The recent clashes inside of Musa Qala may be part of the larger summer strategy launched by ISAF, the US and Afghan security forces to flush Taliban fighters out of their known sanctuaries and to remove Taliban installed governments from the southern territories. The larger security initiative, called Operation Achilles, was launched in the spring of this year and largely focuses on bringing stability and reconstruction back to Helmand province. Since then several sub-operations have been launched in neighboring Farah, Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces to help disrupt Taliban supply lines and command and control capabilities. One of the largest achievements was the Coalition’s May, 12 assassination of top Taliban field general, Mullah Dadullah. However, despite his death serious security issues still plague the beleaguered south.
Aside from Musa Qala, several districts in Helmand are still under Taliban control, such as Washir, Baghran, and Nawzad. However, during the last several months of heavy fighting and several offensives, some gains have been made in previous Taliban strongholds of Gereshk, Kajaki and the Sangin Valley.
Nice work, way to clean house.
I still can’t get over the name Mullah Da-DUH-llah. Sounds like a cartoon name (or one for a pet pig)Glad he’s gone, too.
These are the best ratios; X number of terrorist killed, 0 good guys killed!
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