Battle of Derapet

Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014)

Date	24 August 2010
Location	Derapet, Deh Rahwod, Orūzgān Province, Afghanistan
Result	Coalition victory

Belligerents

Australia

Afghan National Army

United States

Taliban insurgents

Commanders and leaders

Chris Wallace

James Fanning

Tim Hurley

Various

Strength

20 Australian infantry
Two ASLAV-25 guncars
20 Afghan National Army

90–100 insurgents

Casualties and losses

1 killed

30+ killed

The Battle of Derapet was fought near the village of Derapet in the Tangi Valley in Deh Rahwod, Orūzgān Province, southern Afghanistan, between a combined Australian Army and Afghan National Army patrol and Taliban forces on 24 August 2010. Australian forces had only recently taken over responsibility for Deh Rahwod as part of a major expansion of their area of operations which took place following the Dutch withdrawal from Afghanistan in August. The combined coalition patrol included 20 Australians and 20 Afghan National Army troops. The small Australian force from 1st Mentoring Task Force (MTF-1) based in Tarin Kowt included two sections of dismounted infantry and two ASLAV-25 guncars and was tasked with a fighting patrol to find and inflict damage on insurgent forces known to be in the area.

The patrol used an aqueduct to move into Derapet after engineers nearby had identified fighting-aged males moving into the area while women and children were seen leaving the valley. Initially contacted by a large Taliban force of 90–100 insurgents from positions less than 100 metres (110 yd) away, the Australian and Afghan troops counter-attacked from six different positions, engaging the insurgents with small arms, machine-gun fire and anti-armour rockets, while the cavalry engaged from the high ground in fire support.AH-64 Apache attack helicopters also provided close air support, while one round of precision-guided 155-millimetre (6.1 in) medium artillery from a US M777 howitzer was also used in support. A quick reaction force (QRF) was available nearby but was not required. Finally, after three and half hours of intense fighting the Australians and Afghans were running low on ammunition and broke contact, moving back through the QRF which was holding the rear, to their Bushmaster PMVs at the vehicle drop-off point, prior to moving back to the patrol base at Anar Juy.

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