Operation Achilles

Overview

Operation Achilles was a NATO operation, part of the War in Afghanistan. Its objective was to clear Helmand province of the Taliban. The operation began on March 6, 2007. The offensive is the largest NATO-based operation in Afghanistan to date. NATO officials reported that, contrary to previous operations, Taliban fighters were avoiding direct confrontation in favor of guerilla tactics.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Operation Achilles, launched on 6 March 2007, was the largest NATO-led offensive mounted in Afghanistan up to that point, committing some 4,200 NATO troops against an estimated 10,000 Taliban fighters in Helmand province. Its stated objective was to clear the province of Taliban presence. NATO reported approximately 1,000 Taliban casualties. A notable finding from the operation was that Taliban commanders, including Dadullah and Abdul Qassim, directed their forces away from direct confrontation, instead adopting guerrilla tactics — a shift that complicated the conventional clearing mission and signaled an adaptive insurgent response to large-scale NATO pressure in Helmand.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)