The Road to Want (Wanat) Part 2
Nov 7 at 11:11am by David Tate
Below is the complete after-action report regarding the Battle of Want (Wanat). I finally figured out how to attach a pdf file to my blog so I apologize for the delay and my attempt to write it out for you.
This is a very detailed description of the battle for anyone interested in this incredible show of bravery and courage from the American fighting man.
The Road to Want (Wanat) Part 1
Nov 6 at 1:01pm by David Tate
The Battle of Want on July 13, 2008 is looked at by the US military as a culmination of events over the previous twelve months that must be looked at in context with the action at Want. This is the first of a multi-part series that will break apart the 40 page after action report and put into context using other credible, open source reporting, which includes my own research.
The first event noted is the battle for COP Aranus, also known as “The Ranch House”. On August 22nd, 2007 nearly 100 militants attacked the small outpost that lies less than a half dozen miles northeast of Want.
The US military believes a disgruntled former Afghan security chief at the COP used his intimate knowledge of the base to allow insurgents to launch a coordinated three-pronged attack, seriously wounding eleven of 22 paratroopers.
The report notes that “only the valorous actions of several brave paratroopers prevented the Ranch House from being completely overrun.”
The coordinated attack on the outpost was a hail of bullets and rocket propelled grenades that came so suddenly that at least one soldier was woken up from grenades slamming into his sleeping quarters.
The Taliban then quickly overpowered the Afghan end of the base, capturing their arsenal and turning the firepower on the Americans. The barrage collapsed one the the security posts, trapping a man inside.
The Tactical Operation Center also came under intense, concentrated fire which knocked out the unit’s communication antennas. SSgt. Erich Phillips would rally the soldiers to form a defense around the TOC while the commanding officer, 1st Lt. Matthew Ferrara reestablished communications and directed supporting fire, including danger close strafing runs within their perimeter, which eventually broke the assault.
Phillips would win the Distinguished Service Cross and Ferrara the Silver Star for their actions.
Weeks after the attack, the base was closed as planned, much of the decision due to its remoteness.
Ambush in Aranus
On November 9, 2007, 1st Platoon, Chosen Co. (2/503, 173rd ABCT), aside Afghan National Army soldiers, was ambushed as they returned to their base (Camp Bella) following a meeting with tribal elders regarding humanitarian issues. The meeting was at a school house built earlier by the same unit.
Six Americans and two Afghans died, another eight Americans and three Afghans were wounded in a hail of RPG and rifle fire at their dismounted patrol. The survivors included SSgt. Erich Phillips; the dead would include 1st. Lt. Ferrara, who was killed carrying a list of future projects for the community.
The Americans noticed a change in the local attitude following the attack which didn’t include any showing of condolences, as was custom. The attack changed the 173rd’s view of the area and humanitarian projects were stopped.
Camp (COP) Bella
On January 26, 2008, Bella’s platoon sergeant, SFC Matthew Kahler, was checking out the silent radio of an Afghan security guard manning a forward position. As he approached the spot where the guard was stationed, he was shot and killed. The Afghan fled the scene and disappeared. The context of this event seems to point to the fact that US forces understood the local police force was likely infiltrated by insurgents.
Bella was the northernmost position in the Waygal Valley following the closing of COP Aranus. Bella’s days were limited as well, primarily due to the base’s location, which made it difficult to defend.
The decision to close Bella and move to Want was made in June 2008. On July 8 and 9, as Bella was being evacuated, multiple probing attacks were launched and a large scale attack (as many as 300 fighters) was averted.
What the report doesn’t mention (except in a small notation), andmust be noted, is that in July 2008, several prominent Afghans from the area around Bella were killed in a US air strike; including the two local doctors and the land owner who deeded the land for Bella’s existence. Locals have repeatedly said that event allowed for an opening into the community that the Taliban exploited and gained confidants.
Tommorow I will continue this report.
Attack in Nuristan Probably Planned Well in Advance
Nov 4 at 9:09pm by David Tate
New information is out suggesting the attack on a small outpost in Nuristan July 13, which resulted in 9 dead paratroopers, likely had been in the works before the mixed US/Afghan detachment ever arrived in Want, where the attack occurred.
An article from The New York Times claims a post-action report, made by an unnamed colonel, outlines the events that lead up to, and through, the four hour firefight in Nuristan’s Waygal Valley.
The attack by more than 200 militants was launched at 0420, the first 20 minutes of which was intense, heavy grenade and rifle fire from ranges as close as 15 yards. Eventually US close air support, helicopter support and artillery fire helped break the assault.
Time to Plan
Part of the major criticism is in regards to the 10 months it took NATO to negotiate the placement of the base. Coalition forces had just started construction five days before the attack which leads investigators to believe the site was well researched by the enemy and then exploited at its most vulnerable time.
In all, the coalition force was comprised of 72 men; 24 Afghans and 48 Americans (paratroopers, Marine ETTs and combat engineers). Other than the nine paratroopers killed in action, 27 other Americans were wounded, making the American casualty rate for the battle 75%. Four Afghan soldiers were also wounded.
Other new main points from the report:
1. The local police chief and another district official aided the attackers, most likely under duress. However, the report recommends both the district governor and police chief either be replaced or arrested. Officer in charge of the area disagrees citing cooperation.
2. Taliban fighters crept into Want the night before the attack and told the villagers to leave. They then built fighting positions from homes and the mosque.
3. The report confirms (as I first reported) villagers repeatedly warned the Americans, although such a large assault was not considered plausible at that time. This despite knowledge of a 300 strong Taliban force operating in region earlier in the month.
4. Taliban fighters routed water into a ditch and field near the American position so the noise would help conceal the Taliban movement.
5. The police force in Want was found with large amounts of weapons and ammunition that is suspected to have been used by militant fighters. Following the battle (smoke from which could be seen for miles) the local police force of 20 acted “as if nothing was wrong”.
6. Coalition officers at all levels of the fight were exonerated of wrong doing. “The actions by leaders at all levels were based upon sound military analysis, proper risk mitigation and for the right reasons,” the report said.
Breakthrough in Bajour
Oct 25 at 12:12pm by David Tate
The Pakistani military claims their forces have captured the key militant stronghold of Loi Sam, Bajour Agency, in a fierce push to wrest control of the area from Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.
Loi Sam sits at a pivotal intersection connecting three major roads that extend into different regions deep into Pakistani territory.
The battle is the latest in an ongoing series of offensives that kicked off August 6. The stated goal of offensive is ridding Bajour of thousands of militants who use the agency as a staging area and command and control for militants fighting the security forces defending Afghanistan.
Leaders of the security effort in Afghanistan, led by the United States, says attacks in Kunar Province (directly across the border from Bajour) are noticeably down since the offensive began. Pakistani news reports say militants in Afghanistan have left that fight to reinforce fighters in Pakistan.
30 Days of Fighting
The offensive against Loi Sam began September 20 when joint Pakistani army units and Frontier Corps fighters, backed by tanks and US supplied helicopter gunships, began pushing into the area under heavy fire. Tribal militias are being used to enforce security in the aftermath as the military force moves on.
Current estimates put the death toll for militants at more than 1,500 while Pakistani security forces have lost 72 members. 95 civilians have also been listed as killed in the fighting. More than 300,000 people have also been displaced; thousands who have fled across the border into Kunar Province Afghanistan. The displacement has not only created a humanitarian concern for Afghanistan, but a security concern as well.
With roughly one million people, Bajour Agency is the smallest of the seven semi-autonomous, Pashtun dominated, tribal agencies that make up FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) of Pakistan’s northwest frontier alongside Afghanistan’s very troubled eastern border.
The fight for Bajour is being watched closely by all parties and is seen as a litmus test for Pakistan’s claimed commitment to the war against terrorism.
Heavy Fighting in Oruzgan Province Leaves Dozens Dead
Oct 23 at 11:11am by David Tate
Heavy fighting in Deh Rahwood district, Oruzgan Province has left at least 60 militant fighters dead, including a top commander.
The fighting erupted on October 21 when coalition intelligence pinpointed the location of Taliban commander Sharif Agha. Agha was spotted, with 14 other militants, near a river bed as they were preparing an attack against a Coalition patrol. An air strike was called in killing all 15 militants.
Agha was a known terrorist leader responsible for attacks against Coalition and civilian targets in both Oruzgan and Helmand Provinces.
A second firefight erupted in the same district when a large Taliban force attacked a joint Coalition/Afghan patrol. During the battle, close air support was again used resulting in the deaths of 55 suspected militants.
Three other militants were killed the same day in Khas Oruzgan district after a joint Coalition/Afghan patrol received small arms fire from a compound. One Afghan and one coalition member were also wounded.
Poland Set to Take Control of Ghazni
Oct 20 at 5:05pm by David Tate
After more than a year of planning and nearly six months of moving, Polish troops are preparing to take security control of Ghazni Province in Afghanistan’s volatile eastern part of the country.
Originally hoping to take control of Paktika Province, the Poles recently completed a move into four US-built bases across Ghazni and expect to be fully in charge by early November. Poland is trading locations with US troops who have been in Ghazni full time since early 2004.
The Americans are moving their Ghazni components into neighboring Paktika Province, complimenting American forces already in place along the Pakistani border area with Waziristan.
Looking For More
Poland, preparing its fourth rotation of troops to Afghanistan, has been vying to take over security of a province in an effort to consolidate its forces for maximum efficiency. Up until this point, Poland had some concentrated troops in Paktika Province (headquartered in Gardez) with hundreds of other troops scattered throughout the country from Bagram to Kandahar.
Unfinished Business
As the Americans wrap up their move out of Ghazni, they are also ratcheting up operations in the province, seemingly working hard to leave the province’s security situation in as favorable a condition as possible. Within the past two weeks alone multiple operations, particularly in the restive Andar district, have been persistent:
Oct. 10 - Four militants are killed and two captured after coalition forces come under fire during an operation. A Taliban commander and an al Qaeda commander are among the dead.
Oct. 12 - An operation in Andar district targeting a local Taliban commander leads to a firefight that kills five Taliban fighters, including the wanted leader.
Oct. 13 - Coalition forces targeting a Taliban sub commander in Rashidan district come under fire. In the ensuing fight five militants, including the commander, are killed.
Oct. 14 - Coalition forces targeting an IED cell in Andar district capture three militants.
Oct. 16 - Eight fighters are captured during multiple operations in Andar and Waghez districts. One of the fighters is wounded during a brief firefight.
Currently more than 1,600 Polish troops are in Afghanistan with more likely on their way as Poland wraps up its mission in Iraq to focus on central asia. That number includes 400 reinforcements that have recently completed deploying in the lead up to the transfer of control.
Poland’s primary mission will be controlling more than 180 miles of the Kabul-Kandahar Highway (the main artery serving a majority of Afghanistan’s population) and training Afghan security forces also deployed around the province.
Fighting in Ghazni has increased 99% since 2007 when 113 incidents were reported. By October 2008, the number of attacks was already 221 on the year. Ghazni is the fifth most active province, in terms of fighting, in Afghanistan.
Mamoond Tribe Aligns With Pakistani Army
Oct 4 at 2:02am by David Tate
In a major change in dynamics on the ground in Bajour Agency, Pakistan, members of the powerful Mamoond (Mamund) tribe have pledged allegiance to Pakistani security forces and are raising a militia to help combat militants.
On October 4, hundreds of members of the tribe held a grand jirga that resulted in the official formation of a lashkar (militia) to help expel the militants and bring stability to the agency. In an operation declared to begin October 5, the Qaumi Lashkar is directed to burn any house found to harbor militants with a one million rupee fine ($12,800) to follow.
The jirga also agreed to peace efforts extended by the government and support its security forces.
All three major tribes in Bajour are now actively supporting the Pakistani government, with fighters, against the militants. Militant strength throughout the agency is believed to number in the thousands.
While the US government has been actively courting tribal leaders for months, signs began showing last week that the Mamoond Tribe was beginning to defect to the government side. Traditionally, the Mamoond Tribe is known to be aligned with militants, particularly because of inter-marriage with Al Qaeda fighters, and are represented on both sides of the border with Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
Since the offensive in Bajour began, attacks across the border in Kunar have decreased. Reports suggest fighters attacking coalition forces in Kunar Province have been reinforcing their commrades in Bajour to the benefit of the Americans. Kunar Province is the second most active province, in terms of militant attacks, in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military has been pressing an offensive into Bajour since August 6 which has killed more than 1,000 militants and some 70 Pakistani soldiers. The fighting has also displaced more than 300,000 civilians.
The fight for Bajour is being closely watched by the Americans who are pressuring the Pakistanis to be tougher on the Taliban fighters openly operating in the border regions with Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military expects the operation to be wrapped up by year’s end; a task much more realistic with the defection of the Mamoond Tribe.
All Eyes on Bajour
Sep 23 at 11:11am by David Tate
The analysis coming out of media outlets in the US and Pakistan say the ongoing, all-out battle in Bajour Agency, Pakistan, could very well be the crux of the Pakistani army’s fight against that country’s Islamic militantcy.
The fight is so important to all parties involved that the Taliban are moving forces from Afghanistan to reinforce fighters in Bajour, particularly from Kunar Province. To the Pakistani government, and the Americans closely watching, the fight for Bajour may be the tipping point where either the Pakistani Army or the militants will gain strength, or lose clout, across Pakistan’s entire tribal agency.
In recent days, Pakistani forces, backed by tanks and artillery, have slowly started pushing toward Lowi Sam, just northwest of Khar. The troops are fending off hit and run attacks and roadside bombs as they go. The fighting has killed up to 10 militants since Sunday and has led to the discovery of multiple complex tunnel and trench networks that have left the Pakistanis impressed.
According to Pakistani media group, Dawn, a senior Pakistani official says, “They have good weaponry and a better communication system (than ours). Even the sniper rifles they use are better than some of ours. Their tactics are mind-boggling and they have defences that would take us days to build. It does not look as though we are fighting a rag-tag militia; they are fighting like an organized force.”
Since the Bajour offensive began August 6, varied reports say between 100 and 700 militants have been killed, with the higher number more regularly reported. As many as 300,000 civilians have also been displaced by the fighting.
The offensive marks the first time in which regular Pakistani forces (a brigade) have been integrated with Pakistan’s Frontier Corps. Some say the move is an indication of a new found determination to combat internal terrorism; a determination that has taken on an increased zeal since the deadly bombing of the Islamabad Marriot which claimed more than 50 lives. Various reports speculate the bombing was in response to the government offensive in Bajour.
According to at least one report, the tribes of Bajour also seem to be taking sides against the militants, including the Mamond tribe, which is considered to be a base foundation for the militants. The defection of the Mamond tribe to the government side could mark a significant turn in the battle.
The Salarzai tribe, already organized against the militants, continue to attack pro-Taliban elements which include the burning of homes connected to the Taliban as recently as September 22. A third tribe, the Untmankhel, have also raised forces to combat the militants.
Bajour Agency is a major stronghold for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters, most aligned with Baitullah Mehsud, leader of the Pakistani Taliban. The area is also regularly named as a hiding spot for Osama bin Laden.
9/24 1510 - Edited one paragraph for clarity.
Stock Footage From Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey
Sep 22 at 2:02pm by David Tate
I am now offering my pictures, and some video, to folks in need of images related to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. You can look at available pictures here: Available Pictures
If you cannot find what you need, ask, I may have it and just haven’t posted it yet.
I also have some video that can be licensed out (contact me directly), however most of my video clips are available here: David Tate’s Getty Collection
Photos include, but are not limited to, Afghan National Army, Romanian Army (Afghanistan), US Marines(Afghanistan), Iraqi Army and US Army (Iraq/Afghanistan). I also have images of civilians from Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan and of the first anti-Iraq War march in Washington, January 2003.
All proceeds gathered go directly to funding this site.
Marines Form Air/Ground Task Force Destined for Southern Afghanistan
Sep 17 at 10:10am by David Tate
As 3,500 US Marines prepare to leave southern Afghanistan following an extended tour in Helmand and Farah Provinces, the US Department of Defense announces they will be replaced by at least 2,000 fresh Marines with 3,500 additional soldiers set to land two months later.
US Marines, led by Third Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (3/8) from Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, is expected to be in place by November and will comprise the combat element of a new Marine Air/Ground Task Force (MAGTF). 1,000 other Marines will be taken from across the Corps to complete the “ad hoc” task force.
Although the full mission of the MAGTF has not been disclosed, the Marines will most likely continue the training mission currently underway by Second Battalion, Seventh Marines (2/7), who are operating mostly in Farah Province.
3/8 will join First Division’s Second Battalion, Second Infantry Regiment, who have recently deployed to Maiwand in Kandahar Province, leaving the American overt troop total in Regional Command South at nearly 3,300 troops.
There is still no word whether replacements are coming for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is currently wrapping up operations in Helmand and Kandahar Provinces. 24 MEU, originally sent to Afghanistan as a roving combat force designed to take the fight to Taliban fighters across Helmand Province, ended up securing Garmser (Garmsir) in southern Helmand and holding it until Afghan and British reinforcements could be sent in.
Earlier this month, Fourth Kandak, Third Brigade, 205th Corps (Afghan National Army), along with British embedded trainers, took over security of Garmser as the Marines pulled back to Kandahar in preperation for the trip home to North Carolina.
10th Mountain Returns
In January, approximately 3,500 members of 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 10th Mountain Division, will also be deployed to Afghanistan. Like 3/8 Marines, 3BCT is being diverted from an announced mission to Iraq.
More Marines Coming?
Another Marine Expeditionary Unit has also recently left port for destinations unknown. The 26th MEU, based in North Carolina, is a plausible candidate to fill any void left by 24 MEU in southern Afghanistan. The 2,100 member MEU has its own air assets, is special operations capable (SOC) and overall self-sufficient.
Edit - 9/17 2042 - After re-evaluating my information I realize there may be a mistake in my assessment, forcing me to re-work this article for known accuracy. While 3BCT will “join” (as reported by the Marine Corps Times) 3/8 Marines in deploying to Afghanistan, it is not clear if they are literaly joining 3/8 to form the MAGTF or if they’re even deploying to Regional Command South at all. I apologize for the potential error.
RECENT COMMENTS