Battle of Wanat

Battle of Wanat
Part of the War in Afghanistan

U.S. Army soldiers guarding Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler the day before the battle.
DateJuly 13, 2008
Location
Nuristan Province, Afghanistan
35°03′09″N 70°54′27″E / 35.0525°N 70.9075°E / 35.0525; 70.9075 (Battle of Wanat)
Result American Victory
Belligerents
 United States
Afghanistan		  Taliban
Commanders and leaders
Cpt. Matthew Myer
Lt. Jonathan Brostrom †		 Sheikh Dost Mohammad[1][2]
Maulavi Uthman
Sadiq Munibullah
Units involved

 U.S. Army

Afghan National Army		 No specific units
Strength
48 soldiers
24 soldiers
Close air support[3]		 200[3]–500[4] insurgents
Casualties and losses
9 killed
27 wounded[5]
Afghanistan 4 wounded[6][3]		 U.S claim:[7][8][9][10]
21–65 killed
45 wounded
(Only 2 bodies were found)
Battle of Wanat is located in Afghanistan
Battle of Wanat
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Location within Afghanistan

The Battle of Wanat took place on July 13, 2008, when around 200 Taliban insurgents attacked American troops stationed near Quam, in the Waygal district of Afghanistan's far eastern Nuristan province.[11] The distant position was primarily defended by United States Army soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

The Taliban encircled the remote base and its observation post, attacking it from Quam and surrounding farmland. They destroyed much of the U.S. troops' heavy munitions, broke through their lines, and entered the main base before being finally repelled by artillery and aircraft. The United States claimed to have killed at least 21 Taliban fighters for nine of its own soldiers killed and 27 wounded, together with four Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers wounded.[12]

One of several attacks on remote outposts, the Battle of Wanat has been described as among the bloodiest Taliban attacks of the war.[13] In contrast to previous assaults, from roadside bombings to haphazard ambushes, this attack was well-coordinated; fighters across different insurgent groups were able to precisely target key equipment, such as a wire-guided missile launcher, through a sustained and disciplined effort.

The battle became the focus of debate in the United States, generating "... a great deal of interest and scrutiny among military professionals and outside observers ..." mainly due to the relatively "... significant number of coalition casualties ..."[14] Several investigations were launched into events leading up to the battle. The initial investigation was completed in August 2008. In July 2009, Senator James Webb requested that the U.S. Army formally investigate the battle and previous investigation. Lieutenant General Richard F. Natonski conducted another investigation in late 2009 which led to orders of reprimand for the chain of command. In June 2010, the U.S. Army revoked the reprimands. They stated that no negligence was involved and said of the soldiers that "... by their valor and their skill, they successfully defended their positions and defeated a determined, skillful, and adaptable enemy."

  1. ^ "Taliban claim killing 20 US troops in Kunar". Pak Tribune. July 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 27, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  2. ^ Wanat Combat Action in Afghanistan 2008 page 19
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Schmitt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference joint was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Martinez, Luis (July 15, 2008). "Taliban Flexing Muscle in Afghanistan". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  6. ^ "Taliban fighters storm US base". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  7. ^ "Police, Locals Implicated In Attack". The Washington Post. Associated Press. November 5, 2008. p. 14. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gall was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference stripes.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Wanat Combat Action in Afghanistan, 2008, p. 97
  11. ^ Wanat Combat Action in Afghanistan 2008.
  12. ^ U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute (2010). "Wanat: Combat Action in Afghanistan, 2008" (PDF). U.S. Army Combined Arms Center. Combined Studies Institute Press. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.; http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/09/army_wanat_investigation_093009/ Archived June 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Tavernise, Sabrina; SANGAR RAHIMI (October 4, 2009). "Attacks on Remote Posts Highlight Afghan Risks". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  14. ^ Staff of the US Army Combat Studies Institute (2010). "Wanat: Combat Action in Afghanistan, 2008" (PDF). US Army Combined Arms Center. Combined Studies Institute Press. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.