Siege of Sangin

Siege of Sangin
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the Helmand province campaign

A British patrol in Sangin.
Date27 June 2006 – 5 April 2007
Location
Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Result Coalition victory
Belligerents
Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Coalition:
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 United States
 Denmark
 Estonia
 Netherlands		 Afghanistan Taliban
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Stuart Tootal Afghanistan Tor Jan
Afghanistan Haji Nika
Strength
United Kingdom 120-150 soldiers (DC garrison)
1,000 relief forces		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
United Kingdom 9 killed[1] "Dozens to several hundred" killed[2]

The siege of Sangin was a military engagement which occurred between June 2006 and April 2007, between Taliban insurgents and the British Army during the war in Afghanistan. During the engagement, the district centre of Sangin District in Helmand Province was occupied by British forces and was completely surrounded by Taliban fighters. At one point fighting became intensive, causing General David J. Richards, the then-NATO commander in Afghanistan, to declare that Helmand province had seen the fiercest fighting involving British troops since the Korean War.[3] The siege became emblematic of the difficulty of the mission being carried out by British soldiers in Afghanistan, who nicknamed it "Sangingrad" (in reference to the Battle of Stalingrad).[4]

  1. ^ Walsh, Declan (11 April 2007). "Relief at last for hard-pressed Fusiliers". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
  2. ^ Walsh, Declan (20 July 2006). "Taliban resurgence tests British will". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  3. ^ Smith, Michael (17 December 2006). "Afghan war: the home movie". Times Online. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
  4. ^ Walsh, Declan (6 July 2010). "Sangin troop withdrawal: Four years in hell, and Taliban remain undefeated". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2014.