Battle of Kamdesh

The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of allegedly 300 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32 km) away from Kamdesh. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered allegedly 150-200 killed.

Not to be confused with Battle of Kadesh.

Battle of Kamdesh
Part of the Taliban insurgency within the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Boeing CH-47 Chinook landing at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan's Nuristan Province, March 2007
DateOctober 3, 2009
Location
Kamdesh, Afghanistan
35.4231°N 71.3289°E / 35.4231; 71.3289
Result

United States victory

  • Tactical Coalition victory
  • Strategic Taliban victory
Belligerents
 United States
Afghanistan
 Latvia		 Taliban
Commanders and leaders
  • Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti
  • Col. Randy George (4-4ID TF Mountain Warrior)
  • Lt. Col. Robert Brown (3-61 CAV TF Destroyer)
  • Cpt. Stoney Portis (B Trp, 3-61 CAV)
  • 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann (B Trp, 3-61 CAV)
  • Cpt. Agris Liepiņš
  • Dost Muhammad
  • Sirajuddin Haqqani
  • Ghulan Faroq
  • Abdul-Rahman Mustaghni
Strength
53
42
2		 300
Casualties and losses
8 killed and 27 wounded
entire garrison wiped out		 150-200 killed (US sources)
Kamdesh
Location of Kamdesh within Afghanistan

As a result of the battle, COP Keating was partially overrun and nearly destroyed.: 531–41  Observation Post ("OP") Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. The Coalition forces withdrew from the base shortly after the battle. A deliberate withdrawal had been planned some time before the battle began, and the closing was part of a wider effort by the top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, to cede remote outposts and consolidate troops in more populated areas to better protect Afghan civilians. The Americans "declared the outpost closed and departed—so quickly that they did not carry out all of their stored ammunition. The outpost's depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed by American planes in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind."

After an investigation, four officers in the chain of command were disciplined for their failure to adequately support the base. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.