Task Force K-Bar

Task Force K-Bar
Norwegian SOF from Task Force K-Bar in Afghanistan, 2002.
Active	10 October 2001 – April 2002
Country	United States  Norway  Canada  New Zealand  Germany  Denmark  Turkey
Type	Special Operations
Size	2,800
Part of	Special Operations Command Central
Garrison/HQ	Oman Southeastern Afghanistan
Engagements	War in Afghanistan
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Notable commanders	Robert Harward

Task Force K-Bar, originally the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-South (CJSOTF-South), was led by the United States and composed of special operations forces from seven nations. It undertook the first major ground deployment in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014), operating from October 2001 to April 2002.

Originally operating out of Oman's Masirah Air Base before deploying themselves directly in southeastern Afghanistan, K-Bar was under the command of then-Captain Robert Harward, a US Navy SEAL. Harward was full of praise for the troops under his command, and later stated that the Canadian Joint Task Force 2 team was his first choice for any direct action mission.

Task Force K-Bar was part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF), under the overall command of General Tommy Franks at CENTCOM. TF K-Bar was given the responsibility of southern Afghanistan and was commanded by Navy SEAL Captain Robert Harward and formed around SEAL Teams 2, 3 and 8 and operators from 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group. The task force would primarily conduct SR and SSE missions – intelligence gathering at former enemy locations, some 3rd SFG ODAs were also given the Foreign Internal Defence and Unconventional Warfare role.

In January 2002, another series of caves was discovered in Zawar Kili, just south of Tora Bora, airstrikes hit the sites before SOF teams were inserted into the area. A SEAL platoon from SEAL Team 3, including several of their Desert Patrol Vehicles, accompanied by a German KSK element and a Norwegian SOF team spent some nine days conducting an extensive site exploitation, clearing an estimated 70 caves and 60 structures in the area, recovering a huge amount of both intelligence and munitions, but they did not encounter any al-Qaeda fighters. In March 2002, ODAs from 3rd SFG took part in Operation Anaconda, teams from TF-K Bar and Task Force 64 (1 squadron Australian SAS Regiment) were inserted into a valley in the area of operations and were tasked with establishing their own observation posts which "had to be tenable, afford good reconnaissance and cover the identified escape routes or 'rat lines' into Pakistan" according to one of the US planners.