Operation Kaika

Operation Kaika
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
DateJune 23 – 24, 2006
Location
Near Kandahar, Afghanistan
Result US victory. Taliban retreat
Heavy Afghan police casualties
Belligerents
Coalition:
 United States
Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan		 Afghanistan Taliban
Commanders and leaders
United States Captain Sheffield F. Ford III[1] Unknown
Strength
United States 17
Afghanistan 48[2]		 8 insurgents (AWD)[3]
200 insurgents (US Mil.)[1]
Casualties and losses
United States 2 killed
Afghanistan 3 killed		 120 killed[2]

Operation Kaika was a joint operation between American Special Forces and Afghan National Army soldiers, to establish a control base as part of the larger Operation Mountain Thrust, and clear Taliban fighters from three villages about 12 miles southwest of Kandahar, Afghanistan in June 2006.[1][4]

The battle took an unexpected twist when Afghan forces "laid siege" to the American-supported troops, "convinced they had the Americans cornered", the militants spearheaded three large assaults over the course of three days.[1] It became "one of the most sustained battles" of the war.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d IBD Editorials, Capt. Ford's Drive to Victory in Afghanistan Archived 2009-06-03 at the Wayback Machine, January 18, 2008
  2. ^ a b CBS, 60 Minutes
  3. ^ "(ENEMY ACTION) DIRECT FIRE RPT (Small Arms) CJSOTF-A : 2 CF KIA 1 CF WIA -- War Log Explorer".
  4. ^ a b Netzer, Jaime. Veterans of Foreign Wars, "Two Afghanistan Battles Demonstrate American Gallantry in Action"