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42-616: Operation Moshtarak (or the Battle of Marjah) took place in the area. Marjah is geographically situated in one of Afghanistan's major belts of poppy fields, which are a source of funds for the Taliban . According to one figure, 10% of global illicit opium production in the year 2000 originated from the Marjah/Nad-i-Ali area. During the 1950s and 1960s the United States funded a scheme, run by

84-559: A Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 Birthday Honours. The following year, he faced ridicule for berating young officers for eating sandwiches in the Army mess. In a leaked memo addressed to "Chaps", he stated: "Quite a few officers in the divisional mess seem to be under the impression that they can eat their food with their hands. The practice of serving rolls and sandwiches in

126-573: A focus on growing wheat. Data collected in the 1950s in the Marjah/Chah-i-Anjirs area showed an average rainfall of over one inch per month from December through March, peaking in January at 2.46 inches. The rest of the year experienced little or no precipitation, and besides January, there was actually a consistent net loss of water through evaporation. June, July, and August experienced average high temperatures of over 100 °F (38 °C), while

168-592: A government in a box, ready to roll in", said American commander Stanley McChrystal . The capture of Marja was intended to serve as a prototype for a new type of military operation. The Afghan government had pledged to hold any territory seized in the Taliban heartland during the assault. Utilities engineers were on hand to ensure power and water supplies were maintained. As early as September 2009, Canadian soldiers from 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry began training about 400 Afghan National Army recruits for

210-463: A ground breach and companies of 1st Battalion, 6th Marines also conducted a ground breach from the southeast. On February 13, two hours before dawn at 4 am local time the first of 90 Chinook and Huey helicopters disgorged a force of British, Afghan and French troops. The US Special Forces ODA's 1231 and ODA 3121 had been on the ground for hours prior to the main push seizing control of their objectives. The Special Forces then advanced north into

252-513: Is a compelling example of how dealing with the deadly debris of war systematically and in partnership with government, local people and donors can bring stability, recovery and growth to countries ravaged by war." Interviewed about the clearance of the Baptism Site on the western bank of the River Jordan, Cowan described it as a project with "tremendous symbolism". Since 2017 Cowan has served as

294-409: The 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines built temporary Camp Belleau Wood just northwest of the city, and Bravo Company, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion and Alpha Company, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion filled the desert to the west. At the same time a small task force, A SQN The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) would begin to secure the main road from Lashkargah around local police compounds at

336-552: The Battle of Marjah , was an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) pacification offensive in the town of Marjah , Helmand Province , Afghanistan . It involved a combined total of 15,000 Afghan , American , British , Canadian, Danish, and Estonian troops, constituting the largest joint operation of the War in Afghanistan up to that point. The purpose of the operation was to remove

378-568: The Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority , to irrigate the fields around Marjah (Lashkar Gah/Helmand was nicknamed "Little America"), with many canals remaining to this day. In conjunction with this American-led development, which included building and staffing a number of local schools, the Afghan government jump-started a program in 1959 to resettle Pashtun nomads to the area, providing them each with "almost 15 acres of land, two oxen and free seeds", with

420-647: The United States Army ; and Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police forces. British Forces focused on the Lashkar Gah district and Nad Ali district , and U.S. forces on the town of Marja. U.S. assault forces included the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and 1st Battalion, 6th Marines , 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines , 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines , 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion , and elements of 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion and 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion The operation also intended to cut

462-525: The Afghan population (in terms of collateral and life cost) by using fewer munitions and support measures. 11 Light Brigade , the main British formation in Helmand for use in the counter-insurgency role tested the doctrine in some of the more heavily populated areas in Helmand. The publicity and the new tactics intended to prevent the loss of civilians, and to persuade insurgents to lay down their arms. The operation

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504-556: The Church of Scotland on 21 May 2015, in which he drew on his own experience and on history to describe the nature of war. Cowan retired from the Army in 2015, and his appointment as chief executive of the international landmine clearance charity the HALO Trust , with effect from April 2015, was announced in late February 2015. When the government of Mozambique declared the country free of all known landmines, Cowan commented that "Mozambique

546-653: The Nawa district, sweeping the road for explosive devices. Also Route Clearance Platoons clearing routes from their respective staging locations (In the Desert or Cop) into pre-specified locations and intersections from the East West North and South(a "Breach Point" at the Southern tip of the City in a specific instance(Breaching a canal with a bulldozer and a Fasseen type bridge gaining access to

588-564: The Taliban from Marja, thus eliminating the last Taliban stronghold in central Helmand Province. The main target of the offensive was the town of Marjah , which had been controlled for years by the Taliban as well as drug traffickers . Although Moshtarak was described as the largest operation in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban , it was originally supposed to be the prelude to a much larger offensive in Kandahar that would follow Moshtarak by several months. ISAF chose to heavily publicize

630-549: The Taliban in the Bolan Desert in the weeks leading up to the Moshtarak. As the assault drew near, US and coalition forces began to encircle the city in order to screen those entering and exiting, gather intelligence, and deceive the enemy as to the avenue of approach for the well publicized assault. 1st Battalion, 6th Marines moved command to Fire Base Fiddlers Green , home of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines just southeast of Marjah,

672-528: The Taliban's operations. In another operation, the Scots Guards and Grenadier Guards captured a bomb factory and defused 20 IEDs. The Afghan public was warned of the upcoming operation, in line with new rules of engagement for British forces, called "courageous restraint." The tactic, conceived by U.S. General Stanley McChrystal and British Major General Nick Carter , required soldiers to "use brain-power rather than fire-power" and hoped to reduce damage to

714-711: The average lows in winter bottomed out at just above freezing in December and January. 31°31′N 64°07′E  /  31.517°N 64.117°E  / 31.517; 64.117 Operation Moshtarak Tactically inconclusive Strategic Taliban victory [REDACTED] ISAF Civilian casualties Timeline Major operations Airstrikes Major insurgent attacks 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Massacres Other Operation Moshtarak ( Dari for Together or Joint ), also known as

756-604: The city and at the major airbases ready for the next day's assault. Hours before midnight the Afghan President Hamid Karzai had given his personal approval for the operation, that had been delayed for 24 hours as Afghan officials entered last minute negotiations with insurgents. February 12 was the original D-day, but after a 24-hour delay to for negotiations, forces were on a standout and had one extra day for preparation. Hours before dawn, US and Afghan special operations forces inserted into two key target sites in

798-423: The city meeting heavy resistance and capturing further objectives. The advance into Marja was slowed during the morning through poppy fields lined with home-made explosives and other land mines. The first kills were reported to be made by uncrewed Predator aircraft and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, targeting insurgents seen laying roadside bombs and setting up anti-aircraft guns. At 2 am local time

840-460: The city of Kandahar became a target of American operations. In March 2010, U.S. and NATO commanders released details of plans for the biggest offensive of the war against the Taliban insurgency. When launched, the operation was called a "new war model". Afghan and NATO officials had assembled a large team of Afghan administrators and an Afghan governor that would move into Marja after the fighting, with more than 1,900 police standing by. "We've got

882-504: The commander of ISAF, also promised that following the offensive ISAF would install a "government in a box" in Marja. While initially successful, ISAF and the Afghan government failed to set up a working government in the town, leading to a successful resurgence by the Taliban; 90 days into the offensive General McChrystal famously referred to it as a "bleeding ulcer". In October the town was still described as "troubling", but by early December

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924-461: The fighting there was declared "essentially over". Shortly after the withdrawal of NATO soldiers from Marja, it was reported the Taliban had regained control of the town and district with US army analysts describing the goals of the operation as a failure. It has later been cited as a critical turning point in the war, as its failure lead the Obama administration to shift in strategy, away from increasing

966-433: The largest air assault ever conducted with Canadian helicopters. 33 other coalition helicopters, supported by fighter jets and uncrewed aerial vehicles, also participated in the operation with a total of 11 waves of troop drops. Ahead of the military operation, hundreds of civilian families fled Marja and its surroundings and were displaced from their homes due to the offensive by NATO and their Afghan partners. The town

1008-479: The main t-junction, which divides the main road North to Nad-e-Ali and South to Marjah. With 3 Troop tasked to move in a 12-man team in 4 Scimitar's and 2 pick up's with a Tiger Team SF team, to prove a potential off-road route towards Marjah from the East and probe the Taliban in the Bolan Desert in the weeks leading up to the Moshtarak. In these weeks 3 Troop would encounter resistance each day and found dozens of IED's along

1050-451: The mess is to stop. A gentleman or lady always uses a knife and fork. And while on the subject of knives and forks I see a great many frankly barbaric techniques on display." He also expressed his dissatisfaction with standards of etiquette and grammar. "Combined with underlining and italics, the wanton use of capitals, abbreviations and acronyms assaults the eye and leaves the reader exhausted." he wrote. The key to matrimonial success, he said,

1092-468: The much sought after city((RCP3 Attached/Embedded into ODA 3121)) While repelling Taliban assaults, the Marines built a combat outpost, completed on February 14, that they named COP Reilly. The 1/3 Marines held COP Reilly and the northeastern outer sector of Marjah until February 25, when Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines arrived to take control of the position. On February 11, forces staged all around

1134-477: The number of American combatants for a decisive victory and toward deescalation of the war. The operation was called "a key test" of the coalition strategy against the Taliban insurgency. Brigadier James Cowan , the commander of British forces in Helmand, believed it would mark "the start of the end of this insurgency". At the very least it would become a test of whether the Afghan forces would be able to make their country peaceful and safe. The announcement of

1176-403: The operation before it was launched, comparing its scope and size to the 2004 Second Battle of Fallujah , in the hopes that Taliban fighters in the town would flee. The operation was also designed to showcase improvements in both the Afghan government and Afghan security forces. ISAF claimed that the operation was "Afghan-led" and would use five Afghan brigades. General Stanley A. McChrystal ,

1218-464: The operation was also a part of this strategy: "shaping the information battlefield strategic communications", and to ensure it would not repeat the destruction of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004. Hours before the offensive began, Afghan and coalition forces dropped leaflets with the message, "Do not allow the Taliban to enter your home". After this operation in Helmand province, the neighbouring province and

1260-411: The operation. Since January 2010, coalition forces had launched smaller "shaping operations" to prepare for the main assault on February 13. One of these operations was a series of "find, fix, strike" raids by four-man SAS teams and U.S. Army Special Forces team ODA 1231 . These resulted in the deaths of 50 Taliban leaders in the area according to NATO, but didn't seem to have any real adverse effect on

1302-645: The opium trade. Its main aim was to ensure that captured ground can be held by British and American troops, enabling the Afghan government and civilian aid agencies and military contractors to work more effectively in the province. A majority of the US forces were inserted by CH-53 and MV-22 helicopters, while the rest conducted a ground assault. The Canadian Forces focused on the air assault with seven helicopters, including three CH-47 Chinook escorted by four CH-146 Griffon . The Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) ferried about 1,100 coalition troops to Nad Ali District in

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1344-618: The route. Sleeping next to the vehicles at night left allowed them to stay mobile but the Taliban were determined to no avail. At the same time 2 TP HCR (12 man team) would encounter a force of 35 Taliban moving South to Marjah, stopping them with help from Apache support. In preparation for the major offensive, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines seized the "Five Points" junction east of Marja on the road to Lashkar Gah. Elements of Charlie Company were inserted by air under cover of darkness, while elements of Bravo Company, along with 1/3's Combat Engineer Platoon, traveled 9 kilometers on foot from their bases in

1386-479: The same time a small task force, A SQN The Household Cavalry Regiment would begin to secure the main road from Lashkargah around local police compounds at the main t-junction, which divides the main road North to Nad-e-Ali and South to Marjah. With 3 Troop tasked to move on a dirt track in a 12-man team in Scimitar's and 2 pick up's with a Tiger Team SF team, to prove a potential cross country route towards Marjah and probe

1428-641: The site of the Battle of Waterloo with veterans and serving personnel. Educated at Wellington College , Cowan joined the Ulster Defence Regiment as a private soldier in 1982 during The Troubles . He then studied Modern History at Pembroke College, Oxford and was commissioned into the Black Watch in 1983. He served first in Berlin and from 1989 until 1991 he served in Northern Ireland, where he

1470-442: The southwest corner of Marjah. They would be isolated until Marines, Soldiers, and Afghani troops from Task Force 3/4/205 could link up. Just prior to dawn, the landing waves of helicopters across central Helmand marked the start of the major offensive. Third Battalion, 6th Marines were inserted into the northern part of the city and 1st Battalion, 6th Marines in the center of the city. In the southern edge, Task force 3/4/205 conducted

1512-434: The troops from the U.S. Marine Corps seized a series of canal crossings south of Nad-e-Ali. James Cowan (British Army officer) Major-General James Michael Cowan CBE , DSO (born 1 April 1964) is a former British Army officer. He is now CEO of The HALO Trust , a humanitarian organisation which works in post-conflict zones, and a trustee of Waterloo Uncovered, a charity conducting archaeology at

1554-822: The very least it would become a test of whether the Afghan forces would be able to make their country peaceful and safe. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order at the end of his tour of command. Cowan went on to be head of Counter Terrorism & UK Operations in the Operations Directorate at the Ministry of Defence in 2010 with responsibility for the military contribution to the London 2012 Olympics . On promotion to major general he became General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Division in April 2013. Cowan became

1596-677: Was Mentioned in Despatches . He became commanding officer of 1st Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in July 2003 and in that role was deployed to Iraq for Operation Telic in Summer 2004. Towards the end of the tour, Cowan led his Battalion during Operation BRACKEN, seeing action during the Second Battle of Fallujah , for which he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire . He became Chief of Staff for 3rd (UK) Division and

1638-468: Was deployed to Iraq as Chief of Staff for Multi-National Division (South East) from July 2006 until January 2007. He became Commander of 11th Light Brigade in October 2007 and in that role he led Task Force Helmand during the Helmand province campaign in 2009–10 which he described as his most demanding tour. He had hoped that Operation Moshtarak would mark "the start of the end of this insurgency". At

1680-479: Was for an officer never to sit next to his wife at dinner "except when dining alone at home" because doing so showed insecurity. He added that "thank-you letters are an art form not a chore" and that these should usually be written by an officer's wife. Cowan's retirement was announced shortly after widespread publicity over the memo. He marked his departure from the Army with a speech to the General Assembly of

1722-651: Was suspected to be "one of the biggest, most dangerous minefields NATO forces have ever faced," and hundreds of the beleaguered insurgents could insist to fight until death. By early January the surge forces which President Obama had announced on December 1, 2009, had arrived in country. The bulk of the Marine forces included the 1st and 3rd Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment. They quickly setup command at Camp Dwyer , south of Marjah. They were joined with Afghan Army units and began training and preparing for their mission in Marjah. At

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1764-431: Was the first in Helmand since the surge of 30,000 U.S. troops and additional British reinforcements in late 2009/early 2010. The main force was the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade ( Task Force Leatherneck ) as well as British Soldiers from 1 Coldstream Guards Battle Group, 1 Grenadier Guards Battle Group , 1 Royal Welsh Battle Group all supported by Close Support Combat Engineers from 28 Engineer Regiment; elements of

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