Operation Herrick

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Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Since 2003, Herrick has increased in size and breadth to match ISAF's growing geographical responsibilities in Afghanistan.

In 2006, around 5,000 British Armed Forces personnel deployed to Afghanistan, particularly the province of Helmand, as part of Operation Herrick.

1 History
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Background

Operation Herrick has superseded two previous efforts in Afghanistan. The first of these was Operation Veritas, which was support to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. The last major action of this was a sweep in east Afghanistan by 1,700 Royal Marines of Task Force Jacana, which ended in mid-2002. The second was Operation Fingal, which involved leadership and a 2,000 strong contribution for a newly-formed ISAF in Kabul after December 2001. Command was subsequently transferred to Turkey several months later and the British contingent was scaled back to 300. Since then, all operations in Afghanistan have since been conducted under Operation Herrick.

[edit] Kabul and north Afghanistan

Between 2002 and 2003, the primary component of Herrick remained the 300 personnel providing security in Kabul and training to the new Afghan National Army (ANA).^[1]

In mid 2003, the operation became battalion strength when two provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) were established in north Afghanistan. One was located in Mazari Sharif while the other was in Maymana. The UK also provided a rapid reaction force for the area.^[1] This was used in early 2006 after riots broke out in Maymana over the Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy.^[2]

In late 2003, ISAF expanded into the north. Overall command of the PRTs was subsequently transferred to ISAF in 2004. Sweden and Norway took over these PRTs in 2005 and 2006 respectively to allow the UK to focus on south Afghanistan.^[1]

In May 2006, the NATO Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), Lieutenant General David Richards, became the appointed HQ for Afghanistan. The attached British infantry battalion and signals personnel raised the number of troops based in Kabul to 1,300.^[3]

[edit] Kandahar

In 2004, a detachment of six fighters from Joint Force Harrier was based at Kandahar Airfield to support American OEF forces there.^[1] In October 2005, the base was attacked by rockets, and a Harrier was lost.^[4]

A planned withdrawal in mid-2006 was postponed to provide air support for the new ISAF expansion, including forces in neighbouring Helmand. Shortly afterwards, the new Defence Secretary, Des Browne, visited Kandahar and sent an RAF Regiment sqaudron to help protect the airfield.^[5] The detachment was raised to seven Harriers in late 2006.^[6]

On September 2, a Nimrod MR2 patrol aircraft supporting Canadian forces in Operation Medusa crashed near Kandahar, killing all 12 Royal Air Force personnel and two Special Reconnaissance Regiment members aboard. It is believed to be an accident.^[7]

Several weeks later, on 22 September, the British media reported a leaked email from Major James Loden who was serving with the Parachute Regiment in the north of Helmand province. In the email Major Loden stated that the RAF had been "utterly, utterly useless" in protecting troops on the ground in Afghanistan.^[8]

The majority of aircraft deployed for Herrick are based at Kandahar.^[5]

[edit] Helmand

[edit] Mission

Map showing Helmand province in Afghanistan

In January 2006, Defence Secretary John Reid announced the UK would form a large PRT of several thousand personnel in Helmand for at least three years. This had been planned months in advance as part of the gradual expansion of ISAF's area of responsibility from the Kabul region to the rest of Afghanistan. The move was to be a coordinated with other NATO countries to relieve the predominantly American OEF presence in the south. To this end, the Netherlands and Canada would lead similar deployments in Orūzgān and Kandahar respectively.^[3] Several other countries would support this move with troops. In the case of Helmand, Denmark sent 280 troops while Estonia would increase their Helmand force to 150 soldiers.^[9]^[10]

Local Taliban figures voiced opposition to the incoming force and pledged to resist it.^[11]^[12]

[edit] Operations

Before the main deployment, an Royal Engineer squadron constructed a central fortification, called Camp Bastion, that would house 2,000 soldiers and a small air base. A camp for a similar-sized Afghan force was built nearby.

On May 1, the US OEF force was relieved in a ceremony.^[13] At the same time, the United States began a major offensive, Operation Mountain Thrust, against the insurgency in south Afghanistan. This brought ISAF forces into open conflict with the Taliban.^[14]

On May 24, a Hercules was destroyed after it developed a fire during landing near Lashkar Gar, the capital of Helmand. The 27 passengers, including the British ambassador, Stephen Evans, were evacuated safely.^[15]

Between May and June, the main contingent arrived. The majority of troops were drawn from 16 Air Assault Brigade including headquarters and logistics personnel. One of its battlegroups, based around a Parachute Regiment battalion, would be the main combat element of the contingent. 18 helicopters of Joint Helicopter Command, including Chinooks, Apaches and Lynxes would support the force. A flight of four RAF C-130 Hercules transport aircraft was be sent. The air component was to be based between Camp Bastion and Kandahar airfield in the neighbouring province. A initial strength of 5,700 personnel in Afghanistan was planned, which would stabilise to around 4,500 for the rest of the deployment.^[3]

British forces originally tried to provide security to reconstruction, but instead became engaged in combat. Platoon houses were soon established in northern settlements, due to pressure from the provincial governor for an aggressive stance.^[16] However, these since became a focus for heavy fighting.^[17] One of these was in Sangin, which was cut off and surrounded by the Taliban in early July. Six soldiers were killed in Sangin District over the subsequent period. On 16 July, with support from American and Canadian forces, 200 paratroopers were airlifted to take the town.^[18]^[19]

In early August, 500 paratroopers and ANA soldiers were airlifted to Musa Quala after violence flared around the platoon house. One British soldier was killed in the battle.^[20] On 25 August, several hundred soldiers were involved a second operation to escort a group of Afghan policemen as a show of force.^[21] However, resistance continued and two more soldiers died before local leaders organised a temporary ceasefire.^[22] The British commander, Brig. Ed Butler, later said this came just 48 hours before Musa Quala was planned to be abandoned because of the risks support helicopters were taking.^[16] As a result of the deal, British forces peacefully withdrew from the settlement in mid October.^[23]

By late September, 31 British soldiers had died in Afghanistan over the year. However, there was a lull in the fighting. Remotely dispersed troops in platoon houses were retracted to focus on an inkspot strategy, initally centred around Lashkar Gar. Brig. Butler declared the Taliban to have been "tactically defeated" for the time being.^[16]^[24]

In November 2006, it was revealed that the MoD has put 600 paratroopers of the 2nd parachute regiment and 6 C-130 transporters on stand-by to respond to any sudden increase in fighting over the winter, as has been promised by taleban leadership. The force would be ready to take off and be deployed in the country within 24 hours, in what would be the largest parachute landing of british soldiers since the Suez Crisis.

[edit] Response

The stress of operations was admitted to be unexpected by the Ministry of Defence,^[25] and there was increasing pressure to send more forces to Helmand.^[26] Lt. Gen. David Richards likened the deployment to be the heaviest, consistent combat the British Armed Forces has experienced since the Korean War.^[27] As a result, some 1,000 personnel and a number of aircraft have been committed as reinforcements.

The first of these moves was to keep the Harrier detachment in place in Kandahar left early in the deployment. An RAF Regiment sqaudron was subsequently also sent to Kandahar airfield.

In July, Des Browne announced the Helmand contingent would reinforced by nearly 900 engineers and soldiers drawn from 28 Regiment Royal Engineers, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers the Royal Irish Regiment and the Royal Marines.^[28] Shortly afterwards, the Ministry of Defence announced the acquisition and upgrade of several hundred armoured vehicles. Included in this package were 100 Pinzgauer all-terrain utility vehicles for troops in Afghanistan, on top of 66 already ordered. Deliveries are expected to begin in early 2007.^[29]

The MoD has since sent another Harrier, and is pursuing buying MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.^[30]

In September, the Secretary General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, claimed the ISAF contributions of some unnamed members of NATO did not match their obligations.^[31] At a NATO conference in Poland several days later, generals asked for another battalion and more helicopters to act as a rapid deployment reserve in south Afghanistan. General James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, argued at the meeting “It will help us to reduce casualties and bring this to a successful conclusion in a short period of time.”^[32] Britain had reportedly retracted an offer of such a force in protest of other nations' lack of commitment.^[17] The conference ended unsuccessfully, as no new commitments were made.^[33] Des Browne later formally appealled for more support for Afghanistan from NATO members.^[34]

The production of opium poppies has continued unabated, with Helmand responsible for of 42% of Afghanistan's total output.^[35] The Department for International Development launched a £30 million economic development scheme for Helmand in July, claiming 600,000 residents would benefit.^[36]