Operation Oqab

Operation Oqab
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
Date July 18, 2009 – July 28, 2009 Location Kunduz Province, Afghanistan Result Temporary forced displacement of the Taliban forces
Belligerents
Afghanistan ISAF: Germany United States Belgium	Taliban insurgents Islamic Jihad Union
Commanders and leaders
General Ali Murat	?
Strength
800 700 Soldiers 100 Policeman ISAF-Advisors Germany: 300 United States: Airforce Support Total: 1,200	300
Casualties and losses
Afghanistan: 26 killed 64 wounded	20 killed (NATO claim) 2 wounded 2 captured

Operation Oqab (Eagle in English, Adler in German) was a military operation conducted by ISAF and Afghan National Army troops, with the objective to force the Taliban out of the Kunduz Province.

Background

Since April 2009, the German forces in northern Afghanistan were under pressure from the Taliban and the Jihad Union. The attack on the German forces after the visit of chancellor Angela Merkel on April 7th 2009 and the following months showed that the Taliban and their allies made heavy pressure to try and force the German troops out of Afghanistan, since involvement in the conflict is controversial in Germany.

The ISAF and afghan forces started an offensive to reinforce the control and security in the Kunduz Province, before the Afghan presidential election in August and break down the pressure on the German forces before the German federal election in September. A second focus was to free the routes into Afghanistan from Uzbekistan, since it was planned to change the supply routs for ISAF to a route from Uzbekistan.

The ISAF planned to change their focus to rebuilding, after the Taliban had left the province.

For the attack, 800 afghan soldiers and 100 afghan policemen where placed in the province. The Bundeswehr prepared their Quick Reaction Force (QRF), equipped with Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Fuchs and Dingo APCs, as well as Mortars. The ground troops where supported by the US Airforce and their MQ-1 Predator and A-10 Close air support crafts.

The Operation

The first attack on Taliban positions started on the morning of July 19th. German forces, supported by their Marder tanks and Mortars attacked the Taliban.

At Monday the 20th, the Camp Marmal was under attack by rockets, during a counter-attack of the Air force five Taliban where killed.

The afghan forces reported that they had control of the province on Thursday, 23rd. at Friday, a German patrol came under fire, one vehicle was damaged.

At Friday, the 31st July, German troops captured Qari Abdul Wadoud, the leader of the Taliban in the Imam Sahib District.

At August 1st, it was reported that Taliban forces reconquered the area in the south Chahar Dara District.

Aftermath

The Operaton Oqab was the first German ground force offensive since the creation of the Bundeswehr and the first German ground attack since the World War II. The consequences where explicit since the commander of the QRF, Hans-Christoph Grohmann, introduced his Officer as "the first Oberleutnant to lead an Infantry Company in to the battle, since 1945" to the press.