Kunduz Province Campaign

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Kunduz Province Campaign
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
German troops in combat in Chahar Dara
Date April 2009 - ongoing Location Northern Afghanistan Result Tactical coalition successes, stalemate
Belligerents
Coalition Germany United States Afghanistan Belgium	Insurgents Taliban insurgents al-Qaeda
Commanders
Coalition Gen Stanley McChrystal BrigGen Jörg Vollmer BrigGen Jürgen Setzer BrigGen Frank Leidenberger Col Georg Klein Col Kai Rohrschneider Lt Col H.C. Grohmann Col Michael Matz Maj Gen Ali Murat Staff Capt Etienne Goudemant	Insurgents Qari Bashir Haqqani † Abdul Razeq  # Maulawi Shamsullah Mullah Ahsanullah † Qari Wadoud  # [1] Qari Sidiqulla † Mullah Abdul Salam  # Unknown
Strength
Coalition More than 2,500 (mid-2009) About 1,100 troops More than 1,000 troops ~ 300 troops ~ 100 troops	Insurgents Unknown, est. 320 at once 300 peak, in five cells [2] 20 peak, Non-Afghans (Snapshot [3]) "Hundreds" according to Taliban[4]
Casualties and losses
Coalition 91+ total Afghanistan: 19+ KIA 14+ WIA 5 MIA United States: 5 KIA Germany: 4 KIA 43 WIA Belgium: 1 WIA	Insurgents 700+ Taliban: 385+ KIA 77+ WIA 149+ POW 80+ al-Qaeda: At least 4 killed
Civilian casualties At least 102 killed or wounded 3 contractors killed

v • d • e War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Major battles and operations Crescent Wind – Rhino – Mazari Sharif – Kunduz – Herat – Kabul – Tarin Kowt – Kandahar – Qala-i-Jangi – Tora Bora – Anaconda – Takur Ghar – Jacana – Haven Denial – Mountain Viper – Mountain Resolve – Avalanche – Asbury Park – Red Wing – Lashkagar – Mountain Thrust – Kaika – Sangin – Panjwaii – Perth – Medusa – Mountain Fury – Falcon Summit – Now Zad – Shinwar – Achilles/Volcano/Kryptonite/Silver – Hoover – Kamin – Pickaxe-Handle – Chora – Hammer – Firebase Anaconda – Nasrat – Harekate Yolo – Musa Qala – Garmsir – Karez – Arghandab – Wanat – Shewan – Uzbin – Eagle's Summit – Balamorghab – Red Dagger – Shahi Tandar – Diesel – Alasay – Mar Lewe – Panther's Claw – Strike of the Sword – Oqab – Dahaneh – Kamdesh – Cobra's Anger – Moshtarak Major airstrikes Gora Prai – Azizabad – Granai – Kunduz Major insurgent attacks 1st Kabul – Bagram Air Base – Baghlan – Hotel Serena – 1st Kandahar – Spin Boldak – Sarposa Prison – 1st Indian Embassy – Feb 2009 Kabul raid – NATO headquarters – NATO convoy 2nd Kandahar – 2nd Indian Embassy – Bakhtar guest house – Camp Chapman – Jan 2010 Kabul raid – Feb 2010 Kabul raid

While northern Afghanistan is relatively peaceful compared to the all-out war zones in the south of the country, the security situation in Kunduz Province has deteriorated and prompted the German-led Regional Command North to launch a series of operations to take on the rising insurgency. Concerted operations began after an insurgent attack on PRT Kunduz only minutes after German Chancellor Angela Merkel had left from a visit ^[5].

Contents 1 Situation 2 Operations 3 Future prospects 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Situation

Provincial Reconstruction Team Kunduz is located several kilometres from the city. Due to restrictions imposed upon the German military for a long time, the Taliban insurgents were able to regain control over many remote areas of the province and regularly attacked German forces which were merely allowed to defend themselves. Nonetheless the Taliban failed to prevail, although the difficult political situation in Germany had made the country's troops a worthwhile target for propaganda purposes.

Qari Bashir Haqqani, the Taliban commander for Kunduz, vowed in 2008 already to beef up his men's efforts against the Germans. Reluctant to spoil for a direct engagement, the Taliban mainly relied upon suicide bombs and improvised explosive devices, killing three Germans over the year and wounding more than thirty. However, they inflicted less casualties upon NATO troops than it would have been possible according to analysts. For 2009, they eventually would change their tactics. German Chief of Defense Wolfgang Schneiderhan suggested in late April that the war against the Taliban would be about "to get a new quality" ^[6]: Until 2009, German troops were only involved in a handful of firefights with Taliban militants. Between April and June, the number of direct contacts had already topped the total of the seven years before.

With casualties rising, the German leadership was prompted to revise the rules of engagement of its troops. The German military began joint operations with Afghan security forces in accordance to the "Afghan-face" strategy ^[7] of ISAF in April 2009 and continued to conduct own operations to improve the security as well. The insurgency of the Taliban in Chahar Dara quickly spread over Kunduz province, requiring coalition operations in other districts of the province as well.

[edit] Operations

Concerted operations began with numerous raids and "provocative patrols" into the Taliban heartland, dubbed "Talibania" by German troops ^[8]. Four insurgents and two ANA soldiers were killed in various engagements and more than 40 insurgents were detained ^[9]. A large amount of weapons and explosives was seized. The Germans tried to maintain a presence even in remote areas during these weeks and were frequently attacked. On April 29, they made a concentrated advance into the rebellious Chahar Dara district of Kunduz province. By noon, a suicide bomber attacked one of these patrols. Five German soldiers were wounded in the blast. Later that day, a recce patrol of 39 troops came under heavy fire by at least twice as many insurgent fighters. One German trooper of 2./292 light infantry battalion was killed in action, four others were wounded. At least three attackers were also killed. It was the first time since World War II that a German soldier engaged in combat was killed in action. The following weeks saw numerous small engagements again ^[10][11].

Another attempt to regain control over Chahar Dara was made on May 7. By late noon, German infantry detachments reconnoitering the bordering areas were ambushed by a large group of insurgents. Responding reinforcements surrounded the attackers and battled them for more than a day in a fierce engagement which also involved allied close air support. Seven hostile fighters were killed and 14 were wounded, while numerous insurgents were arrested as well ^[12]. One Afghan police officer was also among the wounded. On the same day, troops of PRT Faizabad conducted an operation to detain notable leaders of the insurgency in Northern Afghanistan; A high profile arrest was made when German special forces operatives arrested Abdul Razeq, the Taliban commander for Northeast Afghanistan ^[13]. One KSK operative suffered minor wounds.

During the second half of May and early June, heavy reinforcements were deployed to PRT Kunduz almost doubling the garrison there. The security situation had turned notably worse. All girl schools in Chahar Dara were closed for fear of imminent terrorist attacks. Manpower shortages did not allow German forces to uphold a permanent deterrence against militias. German and Afghan troops increased their efforts to take on the Taliban in different operations (joint operations as well as independent activities). On May 15, ANSF killed Qari Sidiqulla, a Taliban district commander for Imam Sahib, in Imam Sahib's Sharawan region. Three of his fighters were also killed. In the same week, the Taliban tried to assassinate Mohammad Omar, the Governor of Kunduz. He and his bodyguard were slightly wounded. On July 1, four ANSF personnel were killed in Chahar Dara.

On June 4, German troops including the quick reaction force of Regional Command North undertook another concentrated advance into the rebellious Chahar Dara district after a patrol had been ambushed close to a bordering wetland. Ten insurgents were killed by German troops in heavy fighting ^[14]. Master Sergeant Daniel Seibert, a squad leader with 2./391 mechanized infantry battalion, was awarded his nation's highest decoration for gallantry on January 22, 2010: he led a heroic counter attack that saved the lives of many Germans. Three days later a German infantry unit got into another ambush when it tried to recover a vehicle disabled by hostile fire. Two Germans suffered gunshot wounds while at least one attacker was killed and two were wounded. Sergeant First Class Steffen Knoska was also honoured for saving a comrade in total disregard of his life. Later on five Taliban were killed and four were wounded. Two Afghan soldiers were also killed in combat, moreover two of their comrades and a Belgian military mentor suffered wounds ^[15]. A local official was murdered by the Taliban in Kunduz province' Shir Khan on June 17.

On June 23, yet another heavy engagement took place only a few kilometres off the outskirts of Kunduz when about 300 Germans of 2./391 mechanized infantry battalion and 1./263 paratrooper battalion and Afghan troops were attacked by insurgent forces. Three German troops trying to evade incoming fire died when their armored personnel carrier slid down a bank, fell into an irrigation ditch and rolled over. It was confirmed that at least three Taliban fighters were also shot and killed.^[16] Several engagements took place in the following time, resulting in few or no casualties. ISAF facilities in Kunduz were also directly targeted by insurgent forces with rockets and mortars. Four American service members were killed by a roadside bomb on June 7.

"Thank God (...) the Marders came and held down the enemy."

- A German Panzergrenadier during the campaign's Operation Oqab ^[17]

July's joint Afghan-German efforts, dubbed Operation Oqab (Operation Eagle) now, led to more fierce confrontations on July 20 and later on in which Marder infantry fighting vehicles and mortars were used for the first time by German forces. At least 16 Taliban were killed, 12 were wounded and 14 were detained. Two Afghan civilians were also among the killed ^[18]. During the operation German forces came to the rescue of enclosed Afghan and Belgian troops at one time. The firefight lasted for six hours and was supported by close air support from US A10 (Thunderbolt) airplanes. It was the first time after World War II that German Panzergrenadiers led a dismounted attack against enemy forces ^[19]. The Taliban murdered approximately twenty civilians in two separate incidents on July 22 ^[20]. During the last week of July, Chahar Dara was almost cleared of Taliban.

The situation calmed down for about a week but observers warned that the Taliban were not defeated and could return immediately to Chahar Dara ^[21]. A rising number of hostile encounters in the first week of August suggested they were right. One German soldier was shot during combat on August 7 ^[22]. Twelve insurgents and four local police officers were killed in an engagement on August 12. A day later, 20 insurgents were killed when they tried to storm a police station in Aliabad. On August 16, the Taliban began to attack supplies en route to the PRT. After nightfall, they opened fire on a civilian fuel convoy and ignited the load. 2009's Presidential elections were expected to worsen the situation, but only a few attacks occurred during the turnout itself: For example three police officers were killed and 5 kidnapped in Imam Sahib on August 19. 14 Taliban were killed on August 26/27. Afghan forces took out another 7 Taliban and 4 "foreign fighters" on August 28.

Heavy engagements came in the first week of September. On September 3, small gains were made when a Taliban cell in Imam Shahib was successfully battled by German forces and forced to retreat. Eleven insurgents were killed. Four German soldiers were also wounded in combat and eight German armoured personnel carriers were destroyed. On September 4, a devastating NATO air raid was conducted only 7 kilometres to the southwest of Kunduz where Taliban fighters had hijacked civilian supply trucks. 69 Taliban and supposedly 30 civilians were killed according to the Afghan government ^[23]. Although leading to a considerable uproar in Germany, the raid was successful from a military point of view. German officials praised the raid as "very effective" ^[24] and defended their Colonel's decision to request the air strike.

Three German troopers were wounded in a vehicle suicide attack the following day ^[25]. More hostile encounters wounded eight more German soldiers during the following weeks, among them the first female German combat casualty ^[26]. KSK operatives launched another succesful raid in early October and arrested 15 Taliban ^[27] during a surprise attack. Three civilians were killed and 17 wounded during a Taliban attack on October 3. Six insurgents were detained by ISAF and ANSF on October 10 and more than 50 surrendered. One insurgent was killed when hostile forces attacked German soldiers during a humanitarian mission on October 20. A day later, two Taliban were killed and three ANSF officers wounded in Pul-e Alchhi. On November 2, 7 insurgents were killed and 8 arrested in a gunfight involving Afghan, German and Belgian troops.

With the support of United States special forces and German troops ^[28], another offensive was launched by Afghan forces in Chahar Dara on November 5.^[29] According to media coverage, 133 Taliban and one US soldier were killed ^[30]. Qari Bashir Haqqani is said to be among the dead. Also thirteen insurgents were wounded and 25 taken prisoner. Another ten insurgents surrendered. The Afghan-American offensive ended on November 10. A day later, Afghan-German forces were attacked in Chahar Dara again and suffered two casualties when an Afghan and a German soldier were shot ^[31]. For the first time in the North, CH-53GS helicopters of the German army took fire from the ground repeatedly and were forced to retreat due to damages ^[32]. On November 15, one of these helicopters was carrying Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, Germany's Minister of Defence. During the following days German troops had almost daily contact with enemy fighters ^[33].

Afghan troops, German soldiers and local security contractors were involved into numerous engagements during the following weeks. Security contractors protecting the "Mischa Meier"-Bridge crossing Kunduz river to the southwest of the city were attacked by insurgents. Five Taliban and three locals were killed. Another five insurgents were killed in Imam Sahib and Khanabad respectively. Six fighters were captured. Five insurgents were killed by ISAF and ANSF troops on December 9.

On December 14, yet another concerted offensive was launched. The advancing battle group was composed of 300 German soldiers and 300 members of the local security forces. The goal was to set up a permanent checkpoint in Chahar Dara and to win the local population over for the government agencies. Combat engineers along with troops of 4./391 mechanized infantry battalion encountered hostile forces earlier that day when they were trying to rebuild a bridge over the Kunduz river, making another way into Chahar Dara passable. Fierce fighting erupted during the following days, wounding two German troopers and killing several insurgents, including local Taliban leader Mullah Ahsanullah ^[34].

In January 2010, each the United States and Germany decided to increase their efforts in Kunduz by about 6,000 troops and civil personnel ^[35]. After a succesful advance into Chahar Dara in late December, another suchlike operation was started on January 28. Operation Gala-e Gorg (Operation Wolf Pack) included almost 500 German and about 120 Afghan troops and aimed at the installation of further outposts in the rebellious district. One German soldier was wounded and nine insurgents killed in intense fighting ^[36].

German troops faced a very serious situation when insurgents they chased hid in a crowd of local villagers on February 5. One insurgent was killed and another wounded but so were two civilians caught in the crossfire ^[37]. On February 9, an Afghan night patrol mistook German soldier for insurgents and opened fire on them. Luckily no one was hurt in this incident. Further contacts encountered during the following days: One February 16, US special forces killed one insurgent and detained two others while pursuing a Taliban commander ^[38]. On February 17, six insurgents were killed in clashes with German troops. 25 insurgents surrendered on February 22 ^[39].

[edit] Future prospects

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[edit] See also

• War in Afghanistan (2001-present)
• International Security Assistance Force
• German Armed Forces casualties in Afghanistan
• Operation Harekate Yolo
• Operation Karez
• Operation Oqab

[edit] References

Main Source: Winfried Nachtwei report on Afghanistan