| Kajaki | |
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Kajaki
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Province | Helmand Province |
| District | Kajaki District |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 |
Kajaki is a village in southern Afghanistan, and is split between two townsteads, Kajaki 'Olya, and Kajaki Sofla. It is the district centre of Kajaki District in Helmand Province. North east of the village is an important hydro power station for electricity and irrigation projects, the Kajaki Dam. The village itself hugs the east side of the Helmand river, right after it makes its first turn south, one km out from the dam. Kajaki is bordered by the town Payson to its west, Tangeye, an abandoned bazaar to its north, Shabez Kheyl, and Kanzi to its north west, all across the Helmand. Kajaki serves as the northern terminus of Route 611.
It was announced in December 2006 that British Corporal Mark Wright would be posthumously awarded the George Cross for his actions after entering an unmarked minefield near Kajaki, in an attempt to save the lives of other injured soldiers.
On August 23, 2007 three British soldiers of the Royal Anglian Regiment were killed in a suspected friendly fire incident northwest of Kajaki. The soldiers were on patrol when they were attacked by Taliban forces. A pair of United States Air Force F-15 fighter jets were called in to provide close air support dropping one 500lb bomb in support of British forces; it is believed that this bomb exploded close to the British position killing three soldiers and injuring two others. On August 26th 2007 the Sunday Telegraph reported that American officials were investigating the possibility that the bombing was the result of a failure in the bombs guidance system rather than being the result of pilot error. [1]