Battle of Musa Qala

Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

Date	7–12 December 2007
Location	Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan
Result	Coalition victory Taliban retreat

Belligerents

International Security Assistance Force:

Afghan National Army

Taliban insurgents

Commanders and leaders

Andrew Mackay

Mahayadin Ghori

Abdul-Mannan Abdul-Rahim, shadow governor; Abdul-Matin Akhund, shadow district governor; Abdul-Bari Akhund, field commander

Strength

4,500 ISAF and Afghan National Army forces.

2,000 (Taliban claim).
300 (ISAF claim).

Casualties and losses

2 soldiers killed,
minimum 9 soldiers wounded
(UK: 1 killed, 2 wounded;
US: 1 killed, 7 wounded).

Uncertain:
Less than 100 total (ISAF claim).
Hundreds killed, wounded and detained (Afghan Defence Ministry claim).

2–40 civilians killed.

International Security Assistance Force:

The Battle of Musa Qala (also Qaleh or Qal'eh) was a British led military action in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, launched by the Afghan National Army and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) against the Taliban on 7 December 2007. After three days of intense fighting, the Taliban retreated into the mountains on 10 December.Musa Qala was officially reported captured on 12 December, with Afghan Army troops pushing into the town centre.

The operation was codenamed snakepit (Pashto: Mar Kardad‎). Senior ISAF officers, including U.S. general Dan K. McNeill, the overall ISAF commander, agreed to the assault on 17 November 2007. It followed more than nine months of Taliban occupation of the town, the largest the insurgents controlled at the time of the battle. ISAF forces had previously occupied the town, until a controversial withdrawal in late 2006.

It was the first battle in the War in Afghanistan in which Afghan army units were the principal fighting force. Statements from the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) emphasised that the operation was Afghan-led, although the ability of Afghan units to function without NATO control was questioned during the battle. Military engagement over Musa Qala is part of a wider conflict between coalition forces and the Taliban in Helmand. Both before and after the battle, related fighting was reported across a larger area, particularly in Sangin district to the south of Musa Qala.

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