Battle of Tarin Kowt

Battle of Tarin Kowt Part of the Afghan Civil War and the War in Afghanistan Date November 13–14, 2001 Location Tarinkot, Afghanistan Result Eastern Alliance and American victory Belligerents Eastern Alliance  United States Taliban Commanders and leaders Hamid Karzai Jason Amerine Unknown Strength 30-60 Eastern Alliance 11 Americans (ODA 571)[1] 500[1] Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown

Afghan Civil War Saur Revolution (1978) Soviet war in Afghanistan (1979-89) Civil war in Afghanistan (1989–92) Civil war in Afghanistan (1992–96) Civil war in Afghanistan (1996–2001) War in Afghanistan (2001–present) War in Afghanistan (2015–present) War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Timeline 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Battles and operations Invasion Crescent Wind Rhino Mazari Sharif Kunduz Herat Kabul Tawin Kowt Shawali Kowt Sayyd Alma Kalay Qala-i-Jangi Kandahar Tora Bora Helmand Province Lejay Eagle Fury Lashkar Gah Mountain Thrust 1st Sangin Mountain Fury Now Zad Achilles Musa Qala I Volcano Kryptonite Silver Pickaxe-Handle Hammer Nasrat Musa Qala II Garmsir Eagle's Summit Red Dagger Shahi Tandar Diesel Mar Lewe Panther's Claw Nad Strike of the Sword Dahaneh Cobra's Anger Moshtarak Tor Shezada 2nd Sangin Camp Bastion Kandahar Province Medusa Avalanche Kaika Panjwaii Falcon Summit Hoover Luger Kamin Shah Wali Kot 1st Kandahar Spin Boldak Sarposa Prison Arghandab Wech Baghtu 2nd Kandahar Nadahan wedding bombing Hamkari Dragon Strike Baawar Kandahar Eastern Afghanistan Hazar Qadam Anaconda (Takur Ghar) Warrior Sweep Jacana Haven Denial Mountain Resolve Tar Heels Korangal valley (Red Wings) Afghanya Ebrahimkhel Jaji border incident Nangar Khel South Korean hostages Wanat Alasay Nishagam Ganjal Kamdesh 2010 Badakhshan massacre Narang Khataba Bad Pakh Bulldog Bite Do Ab Asadabad Kabul Province 1st Kabul Hotel Serena 1st Indian Embassy Uzbin Feb 2009 Kabul raid 2nd Indian Embassy Bakhtar guest house NATO headquarters Jan 2010 Kabul raid Feb 2010 Kabul raid May 2010 Kabul bombing NATO convoy 2nd Kabul Kunduz Province Kunduz airstrike Oqab Sahda Ehlm Gala-e Gorg Harekate Yolo Karez Mountain Viper Asbury Park Perth Chora Firebase Anaconda Shewan Balamorghab Derapet Doan Airstrikes Azizabad Baraki Barak Deh Bala Gora Prai Granai Hyderabad Kapisa Kunar Raid Kunduz Mano Gai Sayyd Alma Kalay Sangin Uruzgan Wech Baghtu Major insurgent attacks Kabul (2002) Bagram (2007) Baghlan (2007) Kandahar (2008) Spin Boldak (2008) Kabul Indian Embassy (2008) Kabul Serena Hotel (2008) Kabul raids (2009) Kandahar (2009) Kabul Indian Embassy (2009) Kabul UN guesthouse (2009) Camp Chapman (2009) Kabul (Feb 2010) Kabul (May 2010) Nadahan (2010) Logar (2011) Nimruz (2011) Kabul & Mazar-e-Sharif (2011) April 2012 raids Camp Bastion (2012) Farah (2013) Kabul Supreme Court (2013) Kabul Serena Hotel (2014) Massacres Dasht-i-Leili Massacre Kandahar Khataba Maywand Nangar Narang Shinwar Other US urination incident 2012 Quran burning protests Insurgents' bodies U.S.–Afghan Strategic Agreement U.S. Withdrawal

The Battle of Tarin Kowt took place in 2001 during the War in Afghanistan. In early November, Hamid Karzai had entered Taliban-controlled eastern Afghanistan with a small force of guerrillas, accompanied by American special forces soldiers.^[2] In response to the approach of Karzai's force, the inhabitants of the town of Tarin Kowt revolted and expelled their Taliban administrators. Karzai traveled to Tarin Kowt to meet with the town elders. While he was there, the Taliban marshaled a force of 500 men to retake Tarin Kowt. Karzai's small force plus the American contingent were deployed in front of the town to block their advance. Relying heavily on close air support, the American/Afghan force managed to halt the Taliban advance and drive them away from the town.^[3]

The defeat of the Taliban at Tarinkot was an important victory for Karzai, who used the victory to recruit more men to his fledgling guerrilla band. His force would grow in size to a peak of around 800 men. On November 30, they left Tarin Kowt and began advancing on Kandahar.

The story has been told in The Only Thing Worth Dying For, by Eric Blehm, detailing the experiences of Operational Detachment Alpha 574, a U.S. Army Special Forces ODA.

References