Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2007
In January and February 2007, British Royal Marines mounted Operation Volcano to clear insurgents from firing points in the village of Barikju, north of Kajaki.
[3][4] On March 4, 2007, at least 12 civilians were killed and 33 were injured by U.S. Marines in the Shinwar district of the Nangrahar province of Afghanistan[5] as the Americans reacted to a bomb ambush with excessive force, hitting groups of bystanders along 10 miles (16 km) of highway with machine gun fire.
[7] British and ISAF forces continued to battle the Taliban, who had besieged the Sangin District of Helmand Province since June 2006 through to April 2007.
[10] On June 18, the Taliban forces retreated and fled in the mountains, leaving the city heavily damaged but in the hands of ISAF.
[11] On August 28, 2007, at least 100 Taliban fighters and one Afghan National Army soldier were killed in several skirmishes in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province.
[12][citation needed] On October 28, 2007, about 80 Taliban fighters were killed in a six-hour battle with forces from the US-led coalition in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
The rest are part-timers, made up of alienated, young Afghan men angry at bombing raids or fighting in order to get money.
An estimated 100 to 300 full-time combatants are foreigners, usually from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Chechnya, various Arab countries and perhaps even Turkey and western China.
They tend to be more fanatical and violent, and they often bring skills such as the ability to post more sophisticated videos on the Internet or bombmaking expertise.
It was composed of about 2000 coalition troops from Afghanistan, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain and Hungary and its purpose was to oust Taliban militants from several locations in the Ghowrmach district, Faryab Province, and Faizabad, Badakhshan Province, wherefrom they had operated and caused a number of ANA and coalition casualties since early summer of 2007.
Operation Harekate Yolo I was launched in late October and was composed of about 160 German paratroopers and 400 Afghan National Army soldiers.
[20] On November 2, 2007, Afghan security forces killed a top-ranking militant, Mawlawi Abdul Manan, after he was caught trying to cross into Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan.
[21] On November 10, 2007, the Taliban ambushed a patrol in eastern Afghanistan, killing six American and three Afghan soldiers while losing only one insurgent.
[24] British forces continued to occupy the area until October 2006 when, in a controversial move to reduce civilian casualties, control was then ceded to local tribal elders.
It also provided the Kandahar PRT, including an infantry protective company, and an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) to train and liaise with the Afghan Army and police.
In August 2007, the 3rd Battalion Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group replaced The Royal Canadian Regiment, forming the backbone of a contingent mainly from Valcartier, Quebec, that provided all the manoeuver elements, the OMLT team of 150 trainers for the ANA Kandaks, and most of the military elements of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).
Royal Netherlands Air Force support consisted of six F-16 close-air-support aircraft (stationed at Kandahar Air Field), six Chinook transport helicopters of 298 Squadron stationed at Kandahar Airfield and six AH-64 attack helicopters of 301 Squadron at Multi National Base Tarin Kot in Tarin Kowt.
The KCT forces fought close combat battles in the streets of Chora alongside of Australian SAS members.
An unknown number of Polish special forces GROM are deployed in the flashpoint southern province of Kandahar.
[citation needed] See Operation Herrick order of battle There were more than 6,000 British armed forces personnel deployed in Afghanistan in 2007.
Based in Kandahar, it provided close air support and reconnaissance to coalition and NATO forces operating in southern Afghanistan.
The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division made up the majority of Task Force Fury, that operated in Paktika, Paktya, Logar, Khost and Ghaznia provinces.
