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Mohmand Valley raid

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Mohmand Valley raid
Part of Mohmand Valley Offensive, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
DateApril 26–27, 2017
LocationMohmand Valley, Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
Result

US/Afghan victory

Belligerents
Flag of the United States United States
Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan		 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ISIL-KP
Units involved

United States United States

Afghanistan Afghanistan

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

  • Khorasan Province
Strength
United States 50 Army Rangers
AC-130 Gunships
F-16 fighter jets
AH-64 Apache attack helicopters
Drones
Afghanistan 40 commandos		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
United States 2 killed (possibly friendly fire)[4]
1 wounded		 36+ killed[5]

The Mohmand Valley raid was a joint US/Afghan special forces raid targeting an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan Province compound in the Achin District of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan that lasted from the night of April 26 to the early morning hours of April 27, 2017. The raid resulted in the deaths of two US Army Rangers (possibly by friendly fire) and the death of Abdul Hasib the leader of ISIL-KP alongside several commanders and at least 35 other fighters. The operation was conducted less than one mile away from the site of a US airstrike on an ISIL-KP tunnel network that killed 96 militants.

Background[]

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province was formed in January 2015, seven months later the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan pledged allegiance to ISIL and claimed membership in the Khorasan group. Immediately after the groups formation the United States and Afghanistan targeted the group in airstrikes and raids. The group also suffered major setbacks while fighting the Taliban in Nangarhar and neighboring provinces.

Less than two weeks before on April 13, 2017 and less than a mile away from the location of the raid, the US military dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb, a GBU-43/B MOAB on an ISIL-KP tunnel network once used by the Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War in the 80s and Osama Bin Laden during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The strike killed 96 fighters including many leaders.[6][7]

At the time of the raid the group had an been reduced to an estimated 700 fighters. Down from 3,000 fighters at the groups peak according to US officials.

Target[]

The target of the operation was a compound in the Mohmand Valley located less than a mile away from where the US dropped the MOAB bomb. The compound was believed to have housed Abdul Hasib, a former Taliban commander before switching alliances to the Islamic State - Khorasan Province, he would eventually become the groups leader after his predecessor Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed by a US airstrike in July 2016. Abdul had overseen several attacks against the Afghan Government including the March 2017 Kabul attack on a military hospital that killed nearly 100 people. Commanders decided to conduct a joint US/Afghan special forces raid over an airstrike because woman and children were believed to have been in the compound.[8]

Raid[]

At around 10:30 on the night of April 26, 50 US Army Rangers from 3rd Battalion alongside 40 Afghan commandoes were inserted near the target site by helicopter.[9] Almost immediately after landing the force came under heavy fire from multiple directions by entrenched enemy positions with the firefight being described as "close quarters with enemy fire coming at 360 degrees". As the joint American/Afghan force pushed through the difficult terrain under heavy fire they were assisted by airstrikes from AC-130 Gunships, F-16 fighter jets, Ah-64 Apache attack helicopters and drones. Early in the firefight two Army Rangers were critically wounded, possibly from friendly fire, team members denied the assertion.[10][11] The two wounded were medevaced by helicopter where they would later die from their injuries. Another Ranger was grazed by a bullet to the head but left the battle on his own choosing. The raid lasted for more than three hours up to about 3:30 a.m. and resulted in the death of the attended target with the Pentagon calling it as a success in degrading the groups ability to fight.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Casualties[]

Among the dead were two Army Rangers identified as 22 year old Sgt. Joshua Rodgers of Bloomington, Illinois and 23 year old Sgt. Cameron Thomas of Kettering, Ohio. Both of them enlisted in the Army out of high school and were on their third deployments. Their rewards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Star, and the NATO medal.[23][24][25] Abdul Hasib's death was confirmed by US officials on May 7, more than a week after the raid. Several more commanders along with 35 militants were also killed.

References[]

  1. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/07/middleeast/isis-leader-killed-in-afghanistan/index.html
  2. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-islamic-state/head-of-islamic-state-in-afghanistan-confirmed-killed-idUSKBN1830TR
  3. ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-military-confirms-death-of-isis-afghanistan-leader-4645466/
  4. ↑ Sisk, Richard. "Two Army Rangers Possibly Killed by Friendly Fire in Afghanistan". https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/04/28/two-army-rangers-possibly-killed-friendly-fire-afghanistan.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  5. ↑ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/8/abdul-hasib-head-isis-afghanistan-killed-us-afghan/
  6. ↑ Woody, Christopher. "The 'Mother of All Bombs' blast site is still off-limits, but here's who it may have killed". https://www.businessinsider.com/isis-fighters-killed-in-mother-of-all-bombs-moab-blast-2017-4. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  7. ↑ [1][dead link]
  8. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/07/world/asia/abdul-hasib-isis-leader-killed.html
  9. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph. "This Shadowy Afghan Unit Fights Alongside America's Most Elite Forces". http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/10114/this-shadowy-afghan-unit-fights-alongside-americas-most-elite-forces. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  10. ↑ "Rangers Reject DoD Claim Of ‘Friendly Fire’ In Afghanistan Deaths". 28 April 2017. https://taskandpurpose.com/rangers-reject-pentagon-friendly-fire-afghanistan. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  11. ↑ "Mattis honors Army Rangers killed in Afghanistan". https://www.army.mil/article/187021/mattis_honors_army_rangers_killed_in_afghanistan. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  12. ↑ "Two U.S. Army Rangers killed in anti-ISIS raid in Afghanistan". NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-2-u-s-service-members-killed-anti-isis-raid-n751826. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  13. ↑ "The Pentagon Investigates Possible Friendly Fire Deaths In Afghanistan". https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/28/526117060/the-pentagon-investigates-possible-friendly-fire-deaths-in-afghanistan. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  14. ↑ "2 Army Rangers killed in Afghanistan". https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-2-army-rangers-killed-in-afghanistan-dover-photos-20170428-photogallery.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  15. ↑ Hennigan, W. J.. "Pentagon says two Army Rangers may have been killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan". https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-two-u-s-army-rangers-killed-in-eastern-1493413125-htmlstory.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  16. ↑ deGrandpre, Meghann Myers, Andrew (7 August 2017). "Army Rangers killed in Afghanistan were possible victims of friendly fire". https://www.army/%20times.com/news/your-army/2017/04/28/army-rangers-killed-in-afghanistan-were-possible-victims-of-friendly-fire/. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  17. ↑ "Friendly fire may have killed 2 Army Rangers in Afghanistan". 28 April 2017. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/friendly-fire-may-killed-2-army-rangers-afghanistan. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  18. ↑ [2][dead link]
  19. ↑ "Friendly fire may have killed Army Rangers during ISIS raid in Afghanistan". CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pentagon-identifies-2-soldiers-killed-in-afghanistan-during-raid-on-isis/. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  20. ↑ "Pentagon says friendly fire may have killed two US soldiers in Afghanistan, not Isis". 28 April 2017. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/friendly-fire-may-have-killed-the-two-us-soldiers-fighting-isis-in-afghanistan-a7708861.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  21. ↑ "Two U.S. Army Rangers killed in anti-ISIS raid in Afghanistan". NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-2-u-s-service-members-killed-anti-isis-raid-n751826. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  22. ↑ Cooper, Helene (27 April 2017). "2 U.S. Service Members Killed in Afghanistan, Pentagon Says". https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/us/politics/two-us-service-members-killed-in-afghanistan-pentagon-says.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  23. ↑ Barrie Barber. "For Kettering Army Ranger, service was ‘all he lived and breathed’". https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local-military/for-kettering-army-ranger-service-was-all-lived-and-breathed/BHXEapzRnzfTAxChrsZoUN/. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  24. ↑ LENORE SOBOTA. "Bloomington soldier killed in Afghanistan praised". https://www.pantagraph.com/herald-review/news/local/military/bloomington-soldier-killed-in-afghanistan-praised/article_c3cd3088-1d13-5d9b-9f12-960c477cdc80.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
  25. ↑ Nordland, Rod (11 June 2017). "All 6 U.S. Combat Deaths in Afghanistan in 2017 Were in Fight Against ISIS". https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/world/asia/afghanistan-military-american-soldiers-deaths.html. Retrieved 11 January 2019. 
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