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A skirmish occurred on the morning of February 10, 2003 outside of Lejay, a small village in the northern, mountainous part of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The village is in the Baghran valley, and one of the few highways in Afghanistan passes through it. American intelligence analysts assert that the village is the focus of the Opium Trade.
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Vehicles approaching the village report being fired on. In response American forces mobilized hundreds of troops to comb the country surrounding the village in Operation Eagle Fury. The Operation mobilized dozens of coalition warplanes.
Differing accounts of the skirmish
As an active participant on one of the SFODAs, I recommend anyone seeking information regarding this extended battle to visit: Lejay, Afghanistan. (Mauldwin, J. Michael; MSG (Ret))
Colonel Roger King, a Department of Defense spokesman in Bagram offered daily briefings on the initial skirmish, and the on Eagle Fury.
In 2004 the Summary of Evidence memos prepared for the Combatant Status Review Tribunals of the captives apprehended following the initial shooting incident offered a different account.
Colonel King's 2003 account
According to Colonel King:
The Summary of Evidence memos prepared for the villagers who were sent to Guantanamo, on the other hand: