Battle raging in Kapisa
The Stars & Stripes is reporting that an unusually fierce battle is raging in the Kapisa Provence of Afghanistan near Kabul, the national capitol. A helicopter has crashed and while the Taliban is claiming that they shot it down, coalition officials claim that there was no one seriously injured.
Generally, fighting tails off in cold weather, when snow makes the harsh mountainous terrain hard to navigate. While violence is still down this winter, there has been steady fighting recently in the east and south of the country, according to operational reporting from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
As of Wednesday, U.S. special forces had reported at least 16 insurgents killed in the Kapisa operation, along with three Afghan commandos.
I don’t suppose that the unusual intensity of the battle for this time of year wouldn’t have anything to do with the withdrawal of surge troops and the fact that we’re already shipping equipment out of Afghanistan coupled with the President’s announced intention to continue the withdrawal.
I know that, with this audience, I’m preaching to the choir, but remember that there’s still a war going on in our name and there are fearful youngsters breaking brush and kicking doors in our stead halfway around the world tonight.
Category: Terror War
Gee…wonder how the administration will spin this one.
I tried to find something on Kapisa, but the only thing I could find was in French:
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/afghanistan/actualites/afghanistan-ravitaillement-du-poste-anjiran-en-kapisa
I will keep it on my scope.
I have to disagree with the analysis here a little bit. Based on the above article and some other sources of varying relailibity it sounds like this is an offensive operation carried out by US forces with an Afgahn face on it. This isn’t collitition forces being hit, but us striking at them. Which in my opinion we should have been doing more of the entire time we were there.
Of course, this opinion is subject to change should more/additional information come to light.
@1 No need to spin it when the media will ignore it.
I spent 9 months there 2010 in Kapisa province on FOB Morales Frazier. It was run by the French back then, and there was a serious shooting war going on back then looks like its stepped up now that the French have moved out. There were certain parts of that province no coalition soldier had set foot in for years. There were places the French just wouldnt go. We were based in the northern half of the province, and there were also some bases in the southern half about twenty miles south on a dirt/paved road…but for us to get to the southern half we had to drive back to kabul, all the way south and around because the road was blacked out, meaning the Taliban was in control of the central section of the province…if anyone wants a reality check on just how tough the Taliban are in that province, google French casualties Kapisa, you will find an article detailing how they lost ten soldiers in one firefight I believe around 2007-2008 time frame. It should be required reading for any US soldier going to that province.
Kapisa is the province that contains Budreau Valley and Tagab Valley, where MSR Vermont connects the north and south. The French are the battle space owners.
Dave, I was there in 2010. You must’ve replaced us, I take it.
I was under the impression the French were pulling out, or already left
That’s what
Stupid phone: That’s what they, the French were saying. They thought the province was “good-to-go” and could sustain itself. Obviously, those that have been there know the truth. It’s hard staying up on all of it due to the media blackout. All we can et is what little HHQ will release.
Miller?
@8 – The French began to pull out in July 2012.
…and I have a very, very bad feeling about this news.
How was the helicopter shot down? Small arms? AAA? Shoulder-fired SAM?
2 of these 3 make exiting Bagram by air a very risky proposition.
@11 yep, its Miller, lol, good guess…were you Secfor too?
I linked to this story on Facebook for the rest of our guys who were there to check out
Been There–you sound like you might have been one of the officers over there with us, but your description is right on point in my opinion.
My thoughts and prayers are with our guys and gals that are still over there, even though most of the sheep have forgotten that we are at war. I have a bad feeling about this whole thing.
And none of these folks will be eligible for the new REMF medal.
Prayers for them.
Tagab…. the littlest furball that no one knows about. That place causes some big headaches.