Since October 7, 2001 following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States has been engaged in a war in Afghanistan.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||
Contents |
From May 1996, Osama bin Laden had been living in Afghanistan along with other members of al-Qaeda, operating terrorist training camps in a loose alliance with the Taliban.[1] Following the 1998 US embassy bombings in Africa, the US military launched submarine-based cruise missiles at these camps (Operation Infinite Reach) with limited effect on their overall operations. A follow-on plan, called Operation Infinite Resolve, was planned but not implemented.
The UN Security Council had issued Resolutions 1267 and 1333 in 1999 and 2000 directed towards the Taliban which applied financial and military hardware sanctions to encourage them to turn over bin Laden to appropriate authorities for trial in the deadly bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa in August 1998, and close terrorist training camps.
After the September 11, 2001, attacks, investigators rapidly accumulated evidence implicating Osama bin Laden. In a taped statement, bin Laden publicly acknowledged his and al-Qaeda's direct involvement in the 9-11 attacks. In an audiotape posted on a website that the U.S. claims is "frequently used by al-Qaeda", on May 21, 2006, bin Laden said he had personally directed the 19 hijackers.
The War in Afghanistan (2001–present) began on October 7, 2001, as Operation Enduring Freedom, a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States of America (U.S.). This marked the beginning of the U.S. War on Terrorism. The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al-Qaeda, and remove the Taliban regime which had provided support and safe harbour to al-Qaeda.
In January 2006, NATO’s focus in southern Afghanistan was to form Provincial Reconstruction Teams with the British leading in Helmand Province and the Netherlands and Canada would lead similar deployments in Orūzgān Province and Kandahar Province respectively. The Americans with 2,200 troops stayed in control of Zabul Province. Local Taliban figures voiced opposition to the incoming force and pledged to resist it.
US and NATO ISAF operations, alongside Afghan National Army forces, continued against the Taliban through 2007. Significant military operations in 2007 included the ongoing operations around Sangin, Operation Achilles, the Battle of Chora, Operation Harekate Yolo and the Battle of Musa Qala, amongst others.
US and NATO ISAF operations, alongside Afghan National Army forces, continued against the Taliban through 2008. Significant military operations in 2008 included the ongoing Helmand province campaign, Operation Karez, and Operation Eagle's Summit, amongst others.
This is a list of military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present). You can sort by any column by clicking on the hourglass in the column title.
| Operation name | From date | To date | Location | Purpose/result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Chora | 2007-06-15 | 2007-06-19 | Chora | Battle: This battle has proved to be the biggest Taliban offensive of 2007 in Afghanistan, and resulted in the death of more than 100 people in just three days. The battle involved a significant number of Dutch forces |
| Battle of Dahaneh | 08/12/2009 | 08/15/2009 | Dahaneh in the Helmand Province | |
| Battle of Firebase Anaconda | 2007-08-08 | 2007-08-08 | Uruzgan province | Battle: A group of roughly 75 Taliban militants mounted a rare frontal assault on a United States-led coalition base |
| Battle of Garmsir | 2008 | Present | Garmsir in the Helmand Province | Counter Insurgency: A Major U.S. 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 | 2007-12-07 | 2007-12-12 | Musa Qala | Result: Coalition victory; Taliban retreat |
| Battle of Now Zad | 2006 | Present | Nowzad in the Northern Helmand Province | |
| Battle of Panjwaii | 07/2006 | 10/2006 | Panjwaii district | Battle: Decisive Canadian victory, Panjwaii cleared of Taliban |
| Battle of Qala-i-Jangi | 2001-11-25 | 2001-12-01 | Qala-i-Jangi District | Battle: It began with the uprising of Taliban prisoners held at Qala-i-Jangi fortress, and escalated into one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in Afghanistan |
| Battle of Takur Ghar | 2002-03-03 | 2002-03-04 | the peak of Takur Ghar | Battle: A helicopter caring a SEAL team went down and began receiving fire from hostile forces. |
| Battle of Tora Bora | 12/2001 | 12/2001 | Pachir Wa Agam District, Nangarhar province | Battle: Attempt and Failure to kill or capture Osama bin Laden |
| Operation Accius | 2002-11-28 | 06/2004 | throughout Afghanistan | Contingency: The Canadian military's contribution to the civilian-led United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan(UNAMA) |
| Operation Achilles | 2007-03-06 | 2007-05-30 | the Sangin and Kajaki districts of Helmand | Counter Insurgency: An attempt to stabilise the security situation in the province |
| Operation Anaconda | 2002-03-01 | 2002-03-18 | Shahi Kot Valley and Paktika Province | Counter Insurgency: Attempt to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces |
| Operation Apollo | 10/2001 | 10/2003 | Throughout Afghanistan | Contingency: Was the codename for an operation conducted by Canadian Forces in support of the United States in its military operations in Afghanistan |
| Operation Archer | 07/2005 | 2006-08-31 | throughout Afghanistan | Contingency: The Canadian Forces contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan |
| Operation Argus | 09/2005 | Ongoing | throughout Afghanistan | Contingency and Security: Canadian Forces team of strategic military planners to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
| Operation Athena | 08/2003 | 2005-10-18 | Kabul and Kandahar | Security: The Canadian Forces contribution to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan |
| Operation Asbury Park | 2004-06-02 | 2004-06-17 | Oruzgan Province and Zabul Province | Counter Insurgency: Was characterized by atypical fighting on the side of the tactics of the Taliban and other guerillas encountered |
| Operation Asbury Park II | 2004 | 2004 | the Dey Chopan region | Counter Insurgency: Army infantrymen, Afghan National Army troops, and attached Marines again sparred with ACM forces in the region, once again inflicting significant losses against the enemy |
| Operation Avalanche | 12/2003 | 12/2003 | the entire eastern, southeastern and southern portion | Counter Insurgency: To search out Al-Qaeda members and illegal weapons while conducting a village assessment |
| Operation Baawar | 12/2010 | ongoing (as of 02/2011) | Horn of Panjwai (HoP) | To build and hold in the HoP |
| Operation Buzzard | 2002-05-29 | 2002-07-09 | Khowst region | Counter Insurgency: The operation reflects the success that coalition forces have enjoyed in forcing Al Qaida and Taliban to abandon a large-scale presence in much of the region |
| Operation Celtics | 05/2005 | 05/2005 | Counter Insurgency and Humanitarian: to hunt down enemy fighters and provide humanitarian support | |
| Operation Condor | 2002-05-17 | 2002-05-22 | the mountains of Paktia province | Counter Insurgency: Engaged in combat with Al Qaida and Taliban forces |
| Operation Counterstrike | 2006-01-05 | 2006-01-05 | Kandahar Airfield | |
| Operation Diablo Dragnet | 2007-07-19 | 2007-07-19 | Kandahar Airfield | Humanitarian: Linked People to Government |
| Operation Diablo Reach Back | 2005-06-07 | 2005-06-27 | Kandahar Province | Combined Task Force Bayonet forces engaged Taliban forces in some of the fiercest fighting seen this year |
| Operation Dragon Tree | 08/2004 | 08/2004 | Kandahar | Counter Insurgency: Searched for weapons caches |
| Operation Falcon Summit | 2006-12-15 | 2007-01-05 | the Panjawi and Zhari districts of Kandahar | Counter Insurgency: Had the intention of expelling Taliban fighters |
| Operation Fingal | 1/1/2002 | at least 2002-06-20 | Kabul | Security: An international security assistance force |
| Operation Flashman | 2004-07-16 | 2004-07-16 | Paktika Province | Humanitarian and Security: Bring stability to the area as well as establishing voter registration sites |
| Operation Hammer (Chakush) | 2007-07-24 | 2007-07-27 | the Upper Gereshk Valley in Helmand province | Counter Insurgency: The operation is continuing the momentum towards expelling Taliban forces |
| Operation Harekate Yolo | 2007-10-01 | 2007-11-08 | North-west Afghanistan | Counter Insurgency: Targeted hostile forces in the northern provinces |
| Operation Haven Denial | 2003-07-02 | 2003-07-06 | the Paktika and Khost provinces | Counter Insurgency: Targeted against Taliban remnants and Al Qaeda fighters |
| Operation Headstrong | 2003 | 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 | 2002 | Present | throughout Afghanistan | Contingency: The codename for all the British operations in Afghanistan |
| Operation Hoover | 2007-05-24 | 2007-05-25 | Kandahar Province district of Zhari | Counter Insurgency: Was a Canadian-led offensive against the Taliban |
| Operation Jacana | 04/2002 | 07/2002 | Khost province, Paktia Province | |
| Operation Khanjar | 2009-07-02 | 2009-08-20 | Helmand Province | Counter Insurgency: A major U.S. Marine offensive to secure the province |
| Operation Lightning Resolve | 2004 | 2007 | towns and villages throughout Afghanistan | Security: Provide security in support of the first democratic elections ever in Afghanistan |
| Operation Lions Pride | 2006-04-21 | 2006-04-21 | Korengal Valley | Humanitarian: To provide medical assistance to more than 3,100 Afghans |
| Operation Mavericks | 2004 | 2005 | The mountains of Eastern Afghanistan | Counter Insurgency: Detained suspected terrorists and confiscating several weapons and explosives caches |
| Operation Medusa | 2006-09-02 | 2006-09-17 | Kandahar Province | Counter Insurgency: Was a Canadian-led offensive by major elements of the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army. |
| Operation Moshtarak | 2010-02-13 | 2010-12-07 | Marjah in the Helmand Province "poppy-growing belt" | Counter Insurgency: 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 involves U.S. Marine units and Afghan troops along with the U.S. Special Forces and other ISAF members. |
| Operation Mountain Blizzard | 2004/01 | on or about 12 March 2004 | the south, southeast, and eastern portions, Afghanistan | Counter Insurgency: 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 |
| Operation Mountain Fury | 2006-09-16 | 2007-01-15 | Paktika, Khost, Ghazni, Paktia, Logar | Counter Insurgency: Was 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 | 2006-04-11 | 2006 | near the Pakistan border | Counter Insurgency: Searching along the border with Pakistan for Al Qaeda and former Taliban forces |
| Operation Mountain Resolve | 2003-11-07 | 2008 | Nuristan and Kunar provinces | Counter Insurgency: The operation involved an airdrop into the Hindu Kush Mountains by the US 10th Mountain Division and resulted in the killing of Hezbi commander Ghulam Sakhee |
| Operation Mountain Storm | on or about 2004-03-12 | 2005 | the south, southeast, and eastern portions of Afghanistan | With the aim of cornering al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants |
| Operation Mountain Sweep | 2002-08-18 | at least 2002-08-28 | mainly around Dormat and Narizah, south of Khowst and Gardez | Was designed to search out al Qaeda and Taliban forces and information about the terrorist organizations |
| Operation Mountain Thrust | 2006/05 | 2006-07-31 | Kandahar, Helmand, Paktika, Zabul and Uruzgan | A major offensive. Its primary objective was to quell the ongoing Taliban insurgency in the south of the country. |
| Operation Mountain Viper | 2003/08 | 2003/09 | the mountains of Daychopan district, Zabul province | Sought to uncover Taliban rebels. One-hundred-and-twenty-four militants, five Afghan Army personnel and one US soldier were killed in the operation. |
| Operation Neptune | 2005-08-09 | 2005 | Nawa District | |
| Operation Nibbio | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | Italian code name for Enduring Freedom. Operation Sparviero is the Italian Army contribution to ISAF in Kabul | |
| Operation Northern Wind | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | ||
| Operation Oracle | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | ||
| Operation Palk Mesher | 2007/08/?? | 2007/08/?? | Helmand Province | to disrupt and eliminate insurgents |
| Operation Panther's Claw | 6/19/09 | 8/20/09 | Helmand Province | 350 British Troops attacked a Taliban Stronghold near Babaji |
| Operation Pickaxe-Handle (Pashto) | 2007-05-30 | 2007-06-14 | Helmand province | Was a British-led NATO operation |
| Operation Pil | 2005-10-16 | 2005-10-23 | the Watapor Valley of the Kunar Province | to improve security and assist in stabilizing the government in the troubled region |
| Operation Pizmah | 2005/??/?? | 2005-12-15 | Zabul Province | To reestablish a coalition presence in the districts of Dey Chopan, Argandab and Khaki-Afghan |
| Operation Ptarmigan | 2002-04-15 | ????/??/?? | Gardez and Khost regions | The name given to the British share of military actions with U.S. and coalition forces |
| Operation Red Wing | 2005-06-28 | 2005-06-28 | Kunar province | Was a counterterrorism mission |
| Operation School House | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | Kabul | The program, started by U.S. and coalition personnel from the Kabul Compound, receives donated school supplies from the U.S. and distributes them to needy schools |
| Operation Silicon | 2007-04-30 | ????/??/?? | Upper Helmand Province | A sub-operation of Operation Achilles, carried out by NATO (mostly British) and Afghan troops. Recaptured Gereshk from the Taliban [1]. |
| Operation Silver | 2007/??/?? | 2007/??/?? | Counter Insurgency: Was conducted to keep up the pressure on the Taliban in the hopes of blunting their expected spring offensive | |
| Operation Sleigh Ride | 2005/12/?? | 2005/12/?? | forward operating bases at Salerno, Ghazni, Orgun-E and Sharana | Christmas-time Morale boost for the troops in Afghanistan |
| Operation Slipper | 2001/10/?? | Present | The Australian Defence Force's contribution to operations in Afghanistan | |
| Operation Snipe | 2002-05-02 | 2002-05-13 | 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 Qaida and Taliban forces |
| Operation Sparviero | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | ||
| Operation Torii | ????/??/?? | ????/??/?? | ||
| Operation Tor Shezada | 2010-07-30 | Present | ||
| Operation Veritas | 2001-10-07 | 2002-07-31 | Throughout Afghanistan | The codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan |
| Operation Vigilance | 2005-04-15 | 2005/04/?? | Wardak Province | Counter insurgency and Humanitarian: Targated three individuals that coalition forces were trying to kill or captureand and included humanitarian aid drops in several villages |
| Operation Volcano | 2007-02-?? | 2007-02-?? | 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 | 2003-07-20 | 2003-07-?? | the Zormat Valley, Paktia province | |
| Operation Wyconda Pincer | ????/??/?? | 2006 | districts of Bala Buluk and Pusht-i-Rod, in Farah province. | Italian and Spanish Task-Force 45, killed 70 Taliban. |
| Operation Cobra's Anger | 12/04/2009 | 12/07/2009 | Now Zad Valley | |
| Operation New Dawn | 12 June 2010 | Present | Helmand Province | An extension of Operation Moshtarak, Operation New Dawn was launched on 12 June 2010 as joint ISAF / ANA operation, led by the United States Marines, to disrupt insurgents and deny them freedom of movement in the sparsely populated areas between Marjah and Nawa.[9][10] |
| Operation Hamkari | Present |
|
|||||||||||||||||