Operation Karez
| date | May 13 - May 23, 2008 |
|---|---|
| place | Afghanistan , Faryab and Badghis provinces |
| output | Expulsion of Taliban forces |
| consequences | The Afghan state regained control of the occupied districts |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| Commander | |
|
Brigadier General Dieter Dammjacob |
unknown |
| Troop strength | |
| 250 Norwegian soldiers 60 German soldiers, |
approx. 500 irregular forces, including approx. 150 radical Islamic Taliban unknown number of Pashtun settlers |
| losses | |
|
no |
At least 13 Taliban fighters killed, |
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
The Operation Karez was a military company German and Norwegian ISAF Troops in conjunction with allied Afghan forces in northern Afghanistan insurgency to push back Taliban . Between May 13 and 23, 2008, the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) set up by the Norwegians in the North Regional Command fought insurgents in the Badghis and Faryab regions , which had been increasingly perpetrating attacks on ISAF troops and Afghan security forces since the end of 2007.
Operation Karez was the second offensive operation by German and Norwegian troops within half a year in the western area of the North Regional Command.
Starting position
After Operation Harekate Yolo between October and November 2007 helped to push back the increasingly massive Taliban, the insurgents managed to reorganize themselves in the mountainous regions of the Hindu Kush. Through their presence, they prevented international aid organizations from promoting reconstruction in the Badghis region and from supplying the civilian population. They also blocked parts of the ring road connecting all of Afghanistan, cutting off the northwest from the rest of the country.
This prompted the North Regional Command, led by German Brigadier General Dieter Dammjacob, to commission the Quick Reaction Force ( QRF ) stationed in Mazar-e Sharif to fight the irregular forces.
Course of the operation
The company began moving the Norwegian Telemark Battalion to Kor-i Karez and preparing for the offensive in early May . On May 13th, the QRF troops were attacked by units of the Taliban equipped with small arms and anti-tank weapons and successfully countered the attack. Between May 14 and 16, the Norwegians involved their opponents in two large-scale ranged attacks with the aid of CV-9030 armored personnel carriers, mortars and close air support . The operation ended on May 23 with the relocation of the QRF to Mazar-e Sharif.
Involvement of the Bundeswehr and significance of the operation
The Bundestag mandate normally restricts the use of the Bundeswehr to the northern area of Afghanistan. To participate in companies outside the German area of responsibility, the Bundeswehr needs the express approval of the Defense Minister. Although the German side promised the participation of KSK forces, reconnaissance and logistics elements in the run-up to the operation , the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) did not legitimize the deployment of 45 to 60 German soldiers until May 15, i.e. during the ongoing offensive , primarily management support staff, logisticians and paramedics. The German government had concerns about extending the use of parts of the contingent to the Ghormach district in the Italian sector. The German mission was justified by the BMVg with the rejection of Italian and Spanish troops, which in turn received a request from the ISAF to support the Allies in the south and were bound there.
Results
Neither ISAF nor the Afghan security forces suffered any losses during the operation. Operation Karez was the Norwegian Armed Forces largest offensive operation in northwestern Afghanistan. Although there are no precise details, it is estimated that 13 to 15 Taliban fighters died.
On July 1, 2008, the command of the rapid deployment reserve of the North Regional Command was handed over from the Norwegians to the Bundeswehr.
References
Web links
- Contribution ( Memento of May 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) by Aftenposten
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Norwegian State TV NRK1 : "Dagsrevyen" News report May 26th 2008 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b newspaper VG : Norsk offensiv i Afghanistan - Minst 13 Taliban soldiers drept i harde kamper
- ↑ Report on the approval on bundeswehr.de , viewed on May 31, 2008
- ↑ Spiegel Online: Not Licensed to Kill: German Special Forces in Afghanistan Let Taliban Commander Escape (English)
- ^ Aftenposten Newspaper: Taliban soldier drept av norske styrker
