Jump to content

List of military operations in the war in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected fromOperation Fingal)

TheUnited Stateslaunched aninvasion of Afghanistanfollowing theSeptember 11 attacksfrom October 7, 2001, toAugust 31, 2021,as a part of thewar on terror.Participants in the initial American operation,Operation Enduring Freedom,included aNATOcoalitionwhose initial goals were to train theAfghan National Security Forces(ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key government institutions after the fall of theTaliban regimein December 2001. However, coalition forces were gradually involved in the broader war as well, asTaliban resistancecontinued until 2021, when theyregained controlof the country and formed anew government.This is a list of known code names and related information formilitary operationsassociated with the war, including operations to airlift citizens of coalition countries and at-risk Afghan civilians from Afghanistan as the war drew to a close.

Background

[edit]
Main articles:September 11 attacksand9/11 Commission

From May 1996,Osama bin Ladenhad been living in Afghanistan along with other members ofal-Qaeda,operatingterroristtraining camps in a loosealliancewith theTaliban.[1]Following the1998 US embassy bombingsin Africa, the US militarylaunched cruise missiles at these campswith limited effect on their overall operations. A follow-on plan, Operation Infinite Resolve, was planned but not implemented.[citation needed]TheUN Security CouncilissuedResolutions 1267and1333in 1999 and 2000, respectively, applying financial and military hardware sanctions to encourage the Taliban to turn over bin Laden to appropriate authorities for trial in theembassybombings, as well as to close terrorist training camps.

After theSeptember 11, 2001, attacks,investigators rapidly accumulated evidence implicating bin Laden. In ataped statementreleased in 2004, bin Laden publicly acknowledged his and al-Qaeda's direct involvement in the attacks. In anaudiotapeposted on a website that the US claims is "frequently used by al-Qaeda,"[citation needed]on May 21, 2006, bin Laden said that he had personally directed the 19hijackers.

2001: War begins

[edit]
A Marine with the15th Marine Expeditionary Unitleads acolumnto a security position after seizing aTalibanforward-operating base in November 2001.
Main articles:2001 in Afghanistan,United States invasion of Afghanistan,andTaliban insurgency

The war in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, asOperation Enduring Freedom,in response to the 9/11 attacks. This conflict marked the beginning of the USwar on terror.The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroyal-Qaeda,and remove theTaliban regime,which had provided them support and safe harbor. In December, the Taliban government fell and atransitional governmentwas established.

Coalition operations

[edit]

Battles

[edit]

2002 operations

[edit]

Coalition operations

[edit]

Insurgent attacks

[edit]

2003 operations

[edit]

2004 operations

[edit]
See also:War in North-West Pakistan
  • Operation Asbury Park
  • Operation Asbury Park II
  • Operation Flashman
  • Operation Headstrong
  • Operation Lightning Resolve
  • Operation Mountain Blizzard
  • Operation Mountain Storm

2005 operations

[edit]

2006 operations

[edit]
Main article:Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2006

In January 2006,NATO'sfocus in southern Afghanistan was to form Provincial Reconstruction Teams with the British leading in Helmand Province and the Netherlands and Canada leading similar deployments in Orūzgān Province and Kandahar Province, respectively. The Americans remained in control of Zabul Province. Local Taliban figures voiced opposition to the incoming force and pledged to resist it.

Battles

[edit]

2007 operations

[edit]
Main article:Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2007

US and NATOISAFoperations, alongside Afghan National Army forces, continued against the Taliban in 2007. Significant military operations in 2007 included operations aroundSangin,Operation Achilles,theBattle of Chora,Operation Harekate Yoloand theBattle of Musa Qala,among others.

Insurgent attacks

[edit]

Battles

[edit]

2008 operations

[edit]
Main article:Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2008

Significant military operations in 2008 included theHelmand province campaign,Operation Karez,andOperation Eagle's Summit,among others.

Coalition operations

[edit]
  • Operation Sohil Laram III during March and April around Hutal[8]
  • Operation Sur Kor (Red House) during April in Zari District[9]
  • Operation Karezduring May in Badghis Province
  • Operation Oqab Sterga (Eagle's Eye) during May around Grishk[10]
  • Operation Janub Zilzila (Southern Edge) during June in Mizan District, Zabul Province[11]
  • Operation Eagle's Summit(Oqab Tsuka) during August and September in Kandahar and Helmand Provinces
  • Operation Sond Chara(Red Dagger) during December in Helmand Province

Insurgent attacks

[edit]

Battles

[edit]

2009 operations

[edit]
Main article:Coalition combat operations in Afghanistan in 2009
A June 2009 grenade attack, following a collision between aMRAPand ahumvee,wounding three American soldiers.[12]

Coalition operations

[edit]

Insurgent attacks

[edit]

Battles

[edit]

2010 operations

[edit]

Coalition operations

[edit]

2011 operations

[edit]

Coalition operations

[edit]

Insurgent attacks

[edit]

Battles

[edit]

2012 operations

[edit]

2013 operations

[edit]

2014 operations

[edit]

2015 operations

[edit]

2016 operations

[edit]

2017 operations

[edit]

2018 operations

[edit]

2019 operations

[edit]

2020 operations

[edit]

2021 operations

[edit]

List of battles and operations

[edit]

The following table lists knownmilitary operationsof thewar in Afghanistan (2001–2021).

Operation name From date To date Location Purpose/result
Battle of Alasay 14 March 2009 23 March 2009 Alasay Battle: A coalition victory enabled the construction of two bases for theAfghan National Armyin the valley near the village, which had been guerrilla control since 2006
Battle of Chora 15 June 2007 19 June 2007 Chora Battle: This battle, which involved a significant number of Dutch forces, resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people
Battle of Dahaneh 12 August 2009 15 August 2009 Dahanehin theHelmand Province
Battle of Firebase Anaconda 8 August 2007 8 August 2007 Uruzgan province Battle: A group of roughly 75 Taliban militants mounted a frontal assault on a United States-led coalition base
Battle of Garmsir April 2008 8 September 2008 Garmsirin theHelmand Province Counterinsurgency:A Major US Marine offensive on the Taliban-held town killing more than 400 insurgents. Taliban forces withdrew from the town as a result of the assault and took up a position further south
Battle of Musa Qala 7 December 2007 12 December 2007 Musa Qala Battle: A British-led operation involving theAfghan National Armythat resulted in a coalition victory and a Taliban retreat into the nearby mountains
Battle of Nawzad 2006 2014 Nawzad Districtin the NorthernHelmand Province
Battle of Panjwaii July 2006 October 2006 Panjwayi District Battle: Decisive Canadian victory,Panjwayicleared of Taliban
Battle of Qala-i-Jangi 25 November 2001 1 December 2001 Qala-i-Jangi District Battle: It began with the uprising of Taliban prisoners held atQala-i-Jangifortress and escalated into one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in Afghanistan
Battle of Takur Ghar 4 March 2002 5 March 2002 The peak ofTakur Ghar Battle: A helicopter caring a SEAL team went down and began receiving fire from hostile forces
Battle of Tora Bora 6 December 2001 17 December 2001 Pachir Wa Agam District, Nangarhar province Battle: Attempt and failure to kill or captureOsama bin Laden
Operation Accius 28 November 2002 1 June 2004 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: The Canadian military's contribution to the civilian-ledUnited Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan(UNAMA)
Operation Achilles 6 March 2007 30 May 2007 TheSanginandKajakidistricts ofHelmand Counterinsurgency: An attempt to stabilize the security situation in the province
Operation Allies Refuge 14 July 2021 30 August 2021 Throughout Afghanistan Evacuation: To evacuate US nationals, embassy staff, and allied Afghan nationals from the country during and after the2021 Taliban offensive
Operation Anaconda 1 March 2002 18 March 2002 Shah-i-Kot ValleyandPaktika Province Counterinsurgency: Attempt to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces
Operation Apollo October 2001 October 2003 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: Thecodenamefor an operation conducted byCanadian Forcesin support of the United States in its military operations in Afghanistan
Operation Archer July 2005 31 August 2006 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: TheCanadian Forcescontribution toOperation Enduring Freedomin Afghanistan
Operation Argus September 2005 October 2008 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency and Security:Canadian Forcesteam of strategic military planners to support the government of theIslamic Republic of Afghanistan
Operation Asbury Park 2 June 2004 17 June 2004 Oruzgan ProvinceandZabul Province Counterinsurgency: Was characterized by atypical fighting on the side of the tactics of the Taliban and other guerrillas encountered
Operation Asbury Park II 2004 2004 TheDey Chopan District Counterinsurgency: Army infantrymen, Afghan National Army troops, and attached Marines again sparred with ACM forces in the region, inflicting significant losses against the enemy
Operation Athena 17 July 2003 December 2011 KabulandKandahar Security: TheCanadian Forcescontribution to theInternational Security Assistance Forcein Afghanistan
Operation Avalanche December 2003 December 2003 Southeast Afghanistan Counterinsurgency: To search out al-Qaeda members while conducting assessments to establish conditions for the provision ofhumanitarian aid
Operation Baawar(Assurance) 5 December 2010 The Horn ofPanjwayiin Kandahar Province To take a Taliban stronghold and build roads in the district
Operation Bulldog Bite 12 November 2010 25 November 2010 Kunar Province Counterinsurgency: Destroyed two Taliban camps in theWatapur District
Operation Buzzard 29 May 2002 9 July 2002 Khowstregion Counterinsurgency: Forced al-Qaeda and the Taliban to abandon a large-scale presence in much of the region[citation needed]
Operation Celtics May 2005 May 2005 Counterinsurgency and Humanitarian: To hunt down enemy fighters and provide humanitarian support
Operation Cobra's Anger 4 December 2009 12 December 2009 Avalleyin theNawzad District
Operation Condor 17 May 2002 22 May 2002 The mountains of Paktia province Counterinsurgency: British forces engaged in combat with al-Qaeda and Taliban forces
Operation Counterstrike 5 January 2006 5 January 2006 Kandahar Airfield
Operation Crescent Wind 7 October 2001 December 2001 Throughout Afghanistan The codename for an American and British bombing campaign
Operation Devi Shakti 16 August 2021 21 August 2021 Throughout Afghanistan Evacuation: An operation of theIndian Armed Forcesto evacuate Indian citizens and foreign nationals from the country after thefall of Kabul
Operation Diablo Dragnet 19 July 2007 19 July 2007 Kandahar Airfield
Operation Diablo Reach Back 7 June 2005 27 June 2005 Kandahar Province Combined Task Force Bayonet forces engaged Taliban forces
Operation Diesel 6 February 2009 7 February 2009 Sangin,Helmand Province A raid by British troops on a Taliban drug factory and arms stronghold
Operation Dragon Strike September 15, 2010 December 31, 2010 Kandahar Province Counterinsurgency: To reclaim the province from the Taliban
Operation Dragon Tree August 2004 August 2004 Kandahar Counterinsurgency: Searched for weapons caches
Operation Eagle's Summit(Oqab Tsuka) August 2008 5 September 2008 KandaharandHelmandProvinces With the objective of transporting a 220-tonne turbine to theKajaki DaminHelmand Provincethrough Taliban-controlled territory. Cited by thePermanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nationsas one of the largest logistical operations carried out by theBritish Armysince World War II[15]
Operation Falcon Summit 15 December 2006 January 2007 ThePanjwayiandZharidistricts ofKandahar Counterinsurgency: Had the intention of expelling Taliban fighters
Operation Flashman 16 July 2004 16 July 2004 Paktika Province Humanitarian and Security: To bring stability to the area and establish voter registration sites
Operation Hamkari 2010
Operation Hammer(Chakush) 24 July 2007 27 July 2007 The UpperGrishkValley inHelmandprovince
Operation Harekate Yolo(Front Straightening) 1 October 2007 8 November 2007 Northwest Afghanistan Counterinsurgency: Targeted hostile forces in the northern provinces
Operation Haven Denial 2 July 2003 6 July 2003 ThePaktikaandKhostprovinces Counterinsurgency: Targeted against Taliban remnants and al-Qaeda fighters
Operation Headstrong 2 January 2004 2004 Kabul Law enforcement: Involved the training of Afghan commandos by British special forces to seek out and destroy drug laboratories and to confiscate drug shipments
Operation Herrick 20 June 2002 12 December 2014 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: The codename for all British combat operations in Afghanistan from 2002 until 2014
Operation Highroad 1 January 2015 18 June 2021 The second phase of theAustralian Defence Force's operation in Afghanistan
Operation Hoover 24 May 2007 25 May 2007 Kandahar Province district of Zhari Counterinsurgency: Was a Canadian-led offensive against the Taliban
Operation Jacana 16 April 2002 9 July 2002 Khost province,Paktia Province With the aim of capturing or killing al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants
Operation Jaws January 2012 August 2012 Helmand province
Operation Karez 13 May 2008 23 May 2008 Badghis Province Counterinsurgency: To eliminate Taliban presence in the region after insurgents regrouped followingOperation Harekate Yolo
Operation Khanjar(Strike of the Sword) 2 July 2009 20 August 2009 Helmand Province Counterinsurgency: A major US Marine offensive to secure the province
Operation Lastay Kulang(Pickaxe Handle) 30 May 2007 14 June 2007 Helmand province A British-led NATO operation
Operation Lightning Resolve 2004 2007 Throughout Afghanistan Security: Provide security in support of the first democratic elections ever in Afghanistan
Operation Lions Pride 21 April 2006 21 April 2006 Korangal Valley Humanitarian: To provide medical assistance to more than 3,100 Afghans
Operation Mavericks 2004 2005 The mountains of Eastern Afghanistan Counterinsurgency: Detained suspected terrorists and confiscating several weapons and explosives caches
Operation Medusa 2 September 2006 17 September 2006 Kandahar Province Counterinsurgency: A Canadian-led offensive by major elements of the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army
Operation Miracle 24 August 2021 27 August 2021 Throughout Afghanistan Evacuation: An operation of theRepublic of Korea Armed Forcesto evacuate Afghan nationals from the country after thefall of Kabul
Operation Moshtarak(Together, Joint) 13 February 2010 7 December 2010 Marjahin theHelmand Province"poppy-growing belt" Counterinsurgency: The largest military offensive ever launched by NATO troops in Afghanistan to clear the city of Taliban militants and drug traffickers eliminating the last Taliban stronghold in Helmand. It involvedUS Marine unitsand Afghan troops along with the US Special Forces and other ISAF members[16]
Operation Mountain Blizzard January 2004 12 March 2004 The south, southeast, and eastern portions of Afghanistan Counterinsurgency: Killed 22 enemy combatants and discovered caches with 3,648 rockets, 3,202 mortar rounds, 2,944 rocket-propelled grenades, 3,000 rifle rounds, 2,232 mines and tens of thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition[citation needed]
Operation Mountain Fury 16 September 2006 15 January 2007 Paktika,Khost,Ghazni,Paktia,andLogarProvinces Counterinsurgency: A NATO-led operation as a follow-up operation to Operation Medusa, to clear Taliban rebels from the eastern provinces of Afghanistan
Operation Mountain Lion 11 April 2006 2006 Near the Pakistan border Counterinsurgency: Searching along the border withPakistanfor al-Qaeda and former Taliban forces
Operation Mountain Reach II May 2010 May 2010 Kunar Province US Army, Theatre Assets, ANSF, ANP, ANA were ambushed by 150+ Taliban for 8.5 hours along the route from Marawara District Center to Daridam Village area. 60-80 Taliban killed; three US soldiers wounded[citation needed]
Operation Mountain Resolve 7 November 2003 2003 NuristanandKunarProvinces Counterinsurgency: The operation involved an airdrop into theHindu Kush Mountainsby theUS 10th Mountain Divisionand resulted in the killing of Hezbi commander Ghulam Sakhee
Operation Mountain Storm 5 March 2004 July 2004 The south, southeast, and eastern portions of Afghanistan With the aim of cornering al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants
Operation Mountain Sweep 18 August 2002 28 August 2002 Mainly around Dormat and Narizah, south ofKhowstandGardez Was designed to search out al-Qaeda and Taliban forces and information about the terrorist organizations
Operation Mountain Thrust 15 May 2006 31 July 2006 Kandahar,Helmand,Paktika,ZabulandUruzganProvinces A major offensive, the primary objective of which was to quell the Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan
Operation Mountain Viper 30 August 2003 September 2003 The mountains of theDey Chopan District,Zabulprovince Sought to uncover Taliban rebels. Deaths included 124 militants, five Afghan Army personnel and one US soldier
Operation Neptune 9 August 2005 2005 Nawa District
Operation New Dawn 12 June 2010 Helmand Province An extension ofOperation Moshtarak,a joint ISAF / ANA operation, led by theUnited States Marines,to disrupt insurgents and deny them freedom of movement in areas betweenMarjahandNawa[17][18]
Operation Northern Wind
Operation Oracle
Operation Oqab(Eagle) 18 July 2009 28 July 2009 Kunduz Province To force the Taliban out of the province
Operation Palk Mesher August 2007 August 2007 Helmand Province To disrupt and eliminate insurgents
Operation Panther's Claw(Panchai Palang) 19 June 2009 20 August 2009 Helmand Province 350 British Troops attacked a Taliban Stronghold near Babaji
Operation Pil 16 October 2005 23 October 2005 The Watapor Valley of theKunar Province To improve security and assist in stabilizing the government in the region
Operation Pitting 13 August 2021 28 August 2021 Throughout Afghanistan Evacuation: To evacuate British nationals, embassy staff, and allied Afghan nationals from the country during and after the2021 Taliban offensive
Operation Pizmah 2005 15 December 2005 Zabul Province To reestablish a coalition presence in the districts ofDey Chopan,Argandab and Khaki-Afghan
Operation Ptarmigan 15 April 2002 GardezandKhostregions The name given to the British share of military actions with US and coalition forces
Operation Red Wings 27 June 2005 July 2005 Kunar Province Counterterrorism mission
Operation Rhino 19 October 2001 20 October 2001 Kandahar US troops seized anairstripfrom the Taliban that would eventually becomeCamp Rhino
Operation Shahi Tandar 7 January 2009 31 January 2009 Kandahar Province A series of raids and operations against Taliban insurgents
Operation Silicon 30 April 2007 UpperHelmand Province A sub-operation of Operation Achilles, carried out by NATO (mostly British) and Afghan troops. RecapturedGrishkfrom the Taliban[citation needed]
Operation Silver 2007 2007 Counterinsurgency: Conducted to keep up the pressure on the Taliban in the hopes of blunting an expected spring offensive
Operation Sleigh Ride December 2005 December 2005 Forward operating bases atSalerno,Ghazni,Orgun-E andSharana Christmas-time morale boost for troops
Operation Slipper 22 October 2001 31 December 2014 The first phase of theAustralian Defence Force's operation in Afghanistan
Operation Snipe 2 May 2002 13 May 2002 The remote Afghan mountains A British Royal Marine search and clear operation over a significant area believed to be used as a base by al-Qaeda and Taliban forces
Operation Sond Chara(Red Dagger) 11 December 2008 26 December 2008 Taliban strongholds near the town ofNad-e-AliinHelmand Province To secure the area around the provincial capital ofLashkar Gahafter an increase in insurgent attacks there, as well as to safeguard a planned voter registration program
Operation Sparviero Codename for the Italian Army's contributions to theISAF
Operation Toral 1 January 2015 8 July 2021 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: The codename for all British combat operations in Afghanistan from 2015 until the end of the war in 2021
Operation Torii
Operation Tor Shezada 30 July 2010 2014 The operation was planned and executed by the International Security Assistance Force forces and Afghan army whose mission was to clear insurgents from Seyyedabad to the south of Nad-e Ali in Helmand province, in parallel to similar operations by the U.S. Marine Corps in Northern Marjah. Enabled by the UK Joint Aviation Group - UK Apache Attack Helicopters from 664 Squadron AAC alongside UK Chinook and Merlin heavy lift aircraft and USMC CH-53s, Osprey V-22s, Cobra Attack Helicopters and numerous other international Fixed Wing air assets.
Operation Veritas 7 October 2001 2002 Throughout Afghanistan Contingency: The codename for all British combat operations in Afghanistan from the start of the war in 2001 until 2002
Operation Vigilance 15 April 2005 April 2005 Wardak Province Counterinsurgency and Humanitarian: Targeted three individuals that coalition forces were trying to kill or capture, and included humanitarian aid drops in several villages
Operation Volcano February 2007 February 2007 Near the Kajaki hydroelectric dam Was a British operation to clear a Taliban base, consisting of 25 compounds. Was part of Operation Achilles
Operation Warrior Sweep 20 July 2003 September 2003 The Zormat Valley,Paktiaprovince
Operation Wyconda Pincer 2006 Districts of Bala Buluk and Pusht-i-Rod, in Farah province Italian and Spanish Task-Force 45, killed 70 Taliban[citation needed]
Operation Solace 23 August 2021 26 August 2021 Districts of Kabul, in Kabul province Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO): Portuguese evacuate allied Afghan nationals from the country after the 2021 Taliban offensiven[19]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toWar in Afghanistan (2001-present).

References

[edit]
  1. ^Osama bin Laden Wealthy Saudi exile is a terrorist mastermind
  2. ^Briscoe, Charles H.; et al. (2003).Weapon of Choice: U.S. Army Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan.Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Combat Studies Institute Press. pp. 141–143.ISBN9781944961763.
  3. ^Wright et al. 2009,p. 173.
  4. ^Wright et al. 2009,p. 171.
  5. ^Wright et al. 2009,p. 177.
  6. ^Cawthorne, Nigel (2008).The Mammoth Book of Inside the Elite Forces.Running Press.ISBN9780762433827.
  7. ^Ed Darack,Victory Point website
  8. ^Bishop 2009,p. 41.
  9. ^Bishop 2009,p. 63.
  10. ^Bishop 2009,p. 78.
  11. ^Bishop 2009,p. 103.
  12. ^"Grenade Wounds 3 U.S. Troops, Afghan Child".CBS News.9 June 2009.Retrieved21 September2021.
  13. ^abSouthby-Tailyour, Ewen (2010).3 Commando Brigade: Helmand Assault.UK: Ebury Press. p. 10.ISBN9780091937768.
  14. ^Hughes, Kim (2018).Painting The Sand.UK: Simon & Schuster UK. p. 9.ISBN9781471156724.
  15. ^"Triumph for British forces in Boy's Own-style Kajaki mission".afghanistan-un.org.4 August 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 25 October 2021.Retrieved21 September2021.
  16. ^Gal Perl Finkel,Back to the ground?,Israel Hayom,November 8, 2015.
  17. ^"1st Recon launches new operation near Marjah".Marine Corps Times.5 July 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 12 September 2010.Retrieved19 August2010.
  18. ^"ANA, ISAF Complete First Task in Operation New Dawn".ISAF. 21 June 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2011.Retrieved19 August2010.
  19. ^Portaria nº399/2021,24 August (2021), Participação nacional na operação SOLACE — Afghan Staff Relocation — célula de coordenação local, Diário da República 2ª Série, 182, pp29-30, Lisboa: Ministério da Defesa Nacional

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_military_operations_in_the_war_in_Afghanistan_(2001–2021)&oldid=1231947469"