User:Jahahn/Battle of Kandahar (2001)

The 2001 Battle of Kandahar was a series of military operations conducted in and around Kandahar, Afghanistan, during October and November 2001, as part of the start of the United States' military operations in Afghanistan.

Chronology
Following the events of September 11, 2001, the United States and its allies launched the Global War on Terror, starting with assaults on key Taliban positions within Afghanistan.

On October 7, 2001, at 9:00 pm local time, United States Navy, United States Air Force, and Royal Navy forces launched several salvos of Tomahawk cruise missiles against Taliban military and communications facilities, as well as suspected terrorist training camps. According to in-country sources reporting to CNN, targets within Kandahar included Taliban strongholds, as well as the houses of Arab foreigners who worked with the Taliban regime. One of the primary targets for the airstrike in Kandahar was Mullah Omar. The attack, conducted against the cities of Kabul, Jalalabad, and Herat, was considered to be a military success by the United States. United States Air Force general Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that approximately 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles, launched by British and U.S. naval units; 25 strike aircraft from U.S. aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Enterprise (CVN-65); and 15 U.S. Air Force bombers (such as B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress) were involved in the first wave, launched from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. In efforts to court and provide relief for the Afghan people, food and supplies were dropped into the region. Two C-17 Globemaster transport jets delivered 37,500 daily rations by airdrop to refugees inside Afghanistan on the first day of the attack. Relief efforts faced setback, however, from Taliban interference. World Food Program storehouses in Kandahar were raided and surrendered to Taliban soldiers, who "seized about 7,000 tons of food." Hoping to avoid a backlash by civilians, the US sent at least one Air Force EC-130E Commando Solo propeller aircraft for the purpose of broadcasting a message that the Taliban and its allies were the only targets of the attacks, not civilians.

Aftermath
Following the successful airstrikes in the city, and after rapid setbacks experienced by Taliban forces across the country, much of the military might held directly and indirectly by Mullah Omar was consolidated in the city of Kandahar. On November 18, the United States enlisted the help of Gul Agha Sherzai, an anti-Taliban commander and previous Governor of Kandahar Province. On November 25, the United States airlifted a contingent of 750 Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit to create a forward base at Camp Rhino, located 100 mi south of Kandahar. At this time, the allied commanders were also finalizing the decision to send British paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. These events set the stage for the taking of Kandahar and Taliban surrender on December 7.