Siege of Sangin
Siege of Sangin | |||||||
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Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the Helmand province campaign | |||||||
A British patrol in Sangin. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Coalition: United Kingdom Canada United States Denmark Estonia Netherlands | Taliban | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Stuart Tootal |
Tor Jan Haji Nika | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
120-150 soldiers (DC garrison) 1,000 relief forces | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
9 killed[1] | "Dozens to several hundred" killed[2] |
The siege of Sangin was a military engagement which occurred between June 2006 and April 2007, between
Situation in Sangin
Sangin, a town of 30,000 inhabitants in Helmand province, is situated in a "green zone", a fertile agricultural area. By 2006, it was well known for opium poppy production[5] and Taliban activity. Control of the city was strategically important to the Taliban because it would allow the transportation of poppy from the north to go south to Maiwand and Pakistan and enable them to cut off Afghan central government garrisons.[6]
The situation in Sangin was fragile due to the presence of two competing
Several incidents involving coalition troops had already occurred in that sector: on 13 June 2006 a
With the Taliban now in full control of Sangin, the British deployed to recapture the city.
Siege
A Company was called in to secure Sangin on 21 June 2006 after the Taliban had killed five civilians on 18 June, accusing them of working for the government, and a further 27 shortly afterwards when the relatives went to collect the bodies.[9] 120 British troops arrived in two Chinook heavy transport helicopters. The Taliban initially put up no resistance as the British entered the city,[10] and the attitude of the local residents seemed passive, if not sympathetic to the presence of British troops, who were able to patrol the city safely.
At the district centre (DC), the governor's compound, located half a mile from the town centre, became a garrison for the 120 British troops. The DC housed the local government offices, and an Afghan police force. The position was strengthened with rudimentary fortifications consisting of foxholes dug around the perimeter and sandbags reinforcing the compound walls.
The situation changed abruptly on 27 June after a failed raid by the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, during which two soldiers were killed not far from Sangin. A delegation of local elders arrived at the governor's compound and demanded the British leave the city.[11]
The attitude of the locals changed suddenly, and the base was attacked soon after with small arms fire. The Taliban were able to hide and move freely through the
On 1 July, two signallers, Corporal Peter Thorpe and Lance Corporal
Each attack was repulsed, as British troops posted on the DC rooftop directed fire from
Operation Mountain Thrust
On 16 July, during Operation Mountain Thrust, 200 British paratroopers, supported by Apache attack helicopters, were inserted into Sangin via Chinooks. With these reinforcements, the besieged British troops led a concentrated attack that broke the encirclement of the District Centre.[12] They were supported by 700 ISAF coalition troops, including American, Canadian, Afghan and Estonian forces. In a subsequent cordon and search operation, the town was sealed off and Taliban compounds were searched and cleared. Ten Taliban were confirmed killed during the clearing operation, and the others were driven out.[13] The operation weakened the Taliban's hold on the city, but did not break it, and the DC soon came under attack again.
Continued fighting
On 20 August, a 20-man group of paratroopers was clearing a compound when they were ambushed by the Taliban. A section led by Corporal Bryan Budd counterattacked and Budd himself killed two enemy fighters, but the section was forced to withdraw under heavy fire, with two men injured. It was only later that the platoon commander realized that Budd was missing, but rescuing him proved impossible due to heavy fire from the Taliban. The company commander, Major Jamie Loden, organised a relief force cobbled together from various units, including elements of the Royal Engineers and two Royal Military Policemen who happened to be in Sangin. Supported by the fire of two Apache helicopters, the British finally rescued Budd an hour after he had been hit, but it was too late to save him, and he died of his injuries.[14] For his bravery during this action, Corporal Budd was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest distinction in the British armed forces.
The paratroopers were later replaced by
A severe spike in violence took place with
Relief of Sangin
In April 2007, more than 1,000 coalition troops took part in Operation Silver, with the objective of relieving Sangin. NATO gave advance warning of the coming assault by dropping leaflets, and by word of mouth via the town elders, who were tasked with spreading the word.
U.S. troops from 1st Battalion,
On 5 April, coalition troops occupied Sangin, meeting only light resistance, as by this time the town had been mostly vacated by the Taliban, and abandoned by most of its inhabitants.[1] Though Taliban groups still operated in surrounding areas, the Afghan civil authorities were able to return, marking the end of the siege. The governor of Helmand province appointed a new local governor, and a permanent ANA base was established in the town.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Walsh, Declan (11 April 2007). "Relief at last for hard-pressed Fusiliers". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
- ^ Walsh, Declan (20 July 2006). "Taliban resurgence tests British will". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
- ^ a b c Smith, Michael (17 December 2006). "Afghan war: the home movie". Times Online. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
- ^ Walsh, Declan (6 July 2010). "Sangin troop withdrawal: Four years in hell, and Taliban remain undefeated". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ Chouvy, Pierre-Arnaud (14 October 2006). "Opiate smuggling routes from Afghanistan to Europe and Asia". Geopium.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
- ^ Malkasian, Carter (15 June 2021). The American War in Afghanistan - page 137 (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
- ^ Malkasian 2021, p. 137.
- ^ a b Malkasian 2021, p. 140.
- ^ Albone, Tim (3 July 2006). "Paras die as Taleban mount new attack on their base". Times Online. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
- ^ Malkasian 2021, p. 140-141.
- ^ a b Malkasian 2021, p. 141.
- ^ Coghlan, Thomas (17 July 2006). "Siege of Sangin crushed". Scotsman.com News. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
- ^ "UK troops take Taleban stronghold". BBC. 16 July 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
- ^ Smith, Michael (24 September 2006). "Heroic fight for British Afghan base". Times online. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
- ^ Hodgson, Martin (7 April 2007). "Royal Marines in attack on Taliban's 'heart of darkness'". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
- ^ "UK-led operation helps ISAF take control in northern Helmand". MoD. 31 May 2007. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
External links
- Meek, James (14 October 2006). "In their minds, all they want to do is kill English soldiers". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 30 July 2007.