Operation Pickaxe-Handle
Encyclopedia
Operation Lastay Kulang or Pickaxe Handle was a British-led NATO offensive in the southern Helmand province
of Afghanistan
. (The name of the operation is Pashto
for "pickaxe-handle".)
Lastay Kulang began on May 30 and ended on June 14, 2007, with 2000 ISAF
and Afghan National Army
troops taking part. The mission was a direct follow-up of Operation Achilles
that ended on the same day.
At around 4:00 local time on May 30, 2007, ISAF and ANSF personnel advanced towards the village of Kajaki Sofle, ten kilometres south-west of the town of Kajaki
, to remove a Taliban force whose presence threatened the security and stability of the Lower Sangin Valley
.
During the night, elements of the American 82nd Airborne Division mounted an aerial assault on a Taliban compound. One of the Chinook
helicopters taking part in the raid was apparently hit by an RPG
round and crashed, killing five Americans, a Briton and a Canadian on board.
By June 2, NATO claimed to have surrounded several pockets of Taliban fighters.
The Royal Engineers
have also started several reconstruction projects in the area, such as digging irrigation ditches, to try to win over local support.
On June 5, a gun battle and air strikes killed an estimated two dozen Taliban fighters in Southern Afghanistan, the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan government reported.
Upwards of 80 Taliban fighters may have drowned in two separate incidents in early June, when the makeshift boats they were travelling on sank as they attempted to cross the Helmand River. The sinkings were witnessed by NATO helicopters.
A British soldier was killed in a firefight at a Taliban compound to the north east of Gereshk
on June 6.
Another NATO soldier was killed in the south of the country that same day.
On June 8, a battle and air strikes in southern Afghanistan left 30 suspected Taliban dead or wounded, the Ministry of Defense reported.
. A new governor has been installed in Sangin and Shura
s (councils) of tribal elders have been organised to hear their concerns. Conversely, the Taliban claim that they still control much of Kajaki, and some of the Sangin districts. These claims are confirmed by the local residents, who complain that the Taliban returned as soon as NATO and ANA troops had left, and that the security situation has not improved at all.
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. (The name of the operation is Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
for "pickaxe-handle".)
Lastay Kulang began on May 30 and ended on June 14, 2007, with 2000 ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
and Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
troops taking part. The mission was a direct follow-up of Operation Achilles
Operation Achilles
Operation Achilles was a NATO operation, part of the war in Afghanistan. Its objective was to clear the Helmand province of the Taliban. The operation began on March 6 of 2007 and the offensive was the largest NATO based operation ever held in Afghanistan to date...
that ended on the same day.
At around 4:00 local time on May 30, 2007, ISAF and ANSF personnel advanced towards the village of Kajaki Sofle, ten kilometres south-west of the town of Kajaki
Kajaki
Kajaki is a village in southern Afghanistan, and is split between two townsteads, Kajaki 'Olya, and Kajaki Sofla. It is the district centre of Kajaki District in Helmand Province. North east of the village is an important hydro power station for electricity and irrigation projects, the Kajaki Dam...
, to remove a Taliban force whose presence threatened the security and stability of the Lower Sangin Valley
Sangin
Sangin is a town in Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14,000 people. It is located on in the valley of the Helmand River at 888 m altitude, 95 km to the north-east of Lashkar Gah. Sangin is notorious as one of the central locations of the opium trade in the...
.
During the night, elements of the American 82nd Airborne Division mounted an aerial assault on a Taliban compound. One of the Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopters taking part in the raid was apparently hit by an RPG
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
round and crashed, killing five Americans, a Briton and a Canadian on board.
By June 2, NATO claimed to have surrounded several pockets of Taliban fighters.
The Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
have also started several reconstruction projects in the area, such as digging irrigation ditches, to try to win over local support.
On June 5, a gun battle and air strikes killed an estimated two dozen Taliban fighters in Southern Afghanistan, the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan government reported.
Upwards of 80 Taliban fighters may have drowned in two separate incidents in early June, when the makeshift boats they were travelling on sank as they attempted to cross the Helmand River. The sinkings were witnessed by NATO helicopters.
A British soldier was killed in a firefight at a Taliban compound to the north east of Gereshk
Gereshk
Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some northwest of Kandahar at 817 m altitude. Gereshk is the centre of a rich agricultural region with the Kajakai dam upriver diverting water to the Boghra Irrigation Canal. Gereshk was...
on June 6.
Another NATO soldier was killed in the south of the country that same day.
On June 8, a battle and air strikes in southern Afghanistan left 30 suspected Taliban dead or wounded, the Ministry of Defense reported.
Outcome
The outcome of "Lastay Kulang" is disputed. NATO spokepersons claimed the operation was a success, having cleared Sangin and Gereshk of Taliban and securing the Kajaki DistrictKajaki District
Kajaki is a district in the east of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Its population is by a vast majority Pashtun, and stood at 60,700 in 2005. The district centre is the village of Kajaki.-References:* , dated 2002-12-31, accessed 2006-08-03 ....
. A new governor has been installed in Sangin and Shura
Shura
Shura is an Arabic word for "consultation". The Quran and Muhammad encourage Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with those who will be affected by that decision....
s (councils) of tribal elders have been organised to hear their concerns. Conversely, the Taliban claim that they still control much of Kajaki, and some of the Sangin districts. These claims are confirmed by the local residents, who complain that the Taliban returned as soon as NATO and ANA troops had left, and that the security situation has not improved at all.
See also
- British forces casualties in Afghanistan since 2001
- International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
- War in Afghanistan (2001–present)War in Afghanistan (2001–present)The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
- Provincial reconstruction teamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...