Operation Mountain Viper

Timeline Major operations Airstrikes Major insurgent attacks 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Massacres Other In Operation Mountain Viper, the United States Army and the Afghan National Army (nearly 1000 in number) worked together from August 30 to early September, 2003, to uncover hundreds of suspected Taliban rebels dug into the mountains of Daychopan district, Zabul province, Afghanistan.

With the verification of strong ACM activity in the area, planning began for the initiation of a broader range of combat operations.

A battalion task force consisting of two rifle companies of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment (2/22), 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and attachments of civil affairs (CA), psychological operations (PSYOP), engineers, military police (MP), explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), and interpreters conducted an air assault into the region on 30 August.

Reconnaissance Teams from 2/22 gathered intelligence and conducted surveillance in the high elevations guiding the infantry companies throughout the valley and providing sniper support.

United States and French SOF along with AMF forces operated on the periphery providing a cordon to the objective area and directing attack aircraft.

On 31 August as the entire task force mobilized, coalition platoons engaged ACM elements as they maneuvered through their objectives.

Rules of Engagement prior to the operation were difficult to understand for officers and senior NCOs and near impossible at the soldier level.