Operation Trent

Operation Trent
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
DateMid to Late November 2001
Location
Koh-I-Malik Mountain, Registan Desert, Helmand/Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Result Coalition Victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom
United States United States		 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan[1]
al-Qaeda
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Ed Butler Unknown
Strength

United Kingdom 100–140 SAS Operators

United States At least 6 C-130 Hercules
4 F-18 Hornets[2]
2 F-14 Tomcats[2]		 60 or 80–100
Casualties and losses
4 wounded

18–73 killed

Several dozen wounded and captured

Operation Trent was an operation by Special Air Service (SAS) elements of the British Army, the largest known post-WWII operation in SAS history. Tony Blair had requested that the SAS be allowed an operation. The operation was carried out by members of a regimental task group, made up of a tactical HQ, members of A Squadron (A Sqn) and G Squadron (G Sqn) of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (22 SAS), supported by United States (US) forces, on an al-Qaeda-linked opium plant during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A).[3][4]

  1. ^ Lawrence, Richard Russell, The Mammoth Book of Special Ops: The 40 Most Dangerous Special Operations of Modern Times (Mammoth Books), Running Press, 2006, ISBN 0786718269
  2. ^ a b Cawthorne, Nigel, Heroes on the Front Line: True Stories of the Deadliest Missions Behind Enemy Lines in Afghanistan and Iraq, John Blake, 2011, ISBN 1843582902 ISBN 978-1843582908
  3. ^ Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, pp.69-72
  4. ^ Ledwige, Frank (2012). Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300182743., p.73