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In 2009, the United States and NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition, along with Afghan National Army forces, continued military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. 2009 marks the eighth year of the War in Afghanistan, which began late in 2001.
United States
This task force rotates between the 3rd and 7th Special Forces Groups. The 7th Group, commanded by Col. Sean Mulholland, replaced the 3rd Group in late July 2009. The task force is partnered with six Afghan commando units.
However, other U.S. special operation forces also have deployed to Afghanistan. Units that have deployed in the past have included elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Navy SEALs, units from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, squadrons from the Army's covert 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, air commandos from the Air Force Special Operations Command and Marines from the Marine Special Operations Command. CIA paramilitary teams also have served in Afghanistan.
Special operations units from coalition countries have also served in Afghanistan, including members of the British Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS), troopers from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Germany's KSK (Kommando Spezialkraefte), and soldiers from Canada's Joint Task Force Two (JTF2). In 2005, and again in 2009, elements of the New Zealand Special Air Service was deployed to Afghanistan. Soldiers from Sweden's Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special Protection Group) have served in Afghanistan and two SSG troopers were killed by a roadside bomb in late 2005. Norwegian Special Forces units also have deployed to Afghanistan.
The 173rd relieved the 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division in December 2009. It is responsible for Wardak and Logar provinces as part of Regional Command East. The brigade has combat experience in Afghanistan from two previous deployments and includes the following units:
The 4th BCT, known as Task Force Mountain Warrior, is responsible for Nangarhar, Nuristan, Konar and Laghman provinces in eastern Afghanistan. It relieved the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, or Task Force Duke, which had been conducting operations in the area for the past 15 months. The 4th BCT includes the following units:
Based at Fort Lewis, Washington, the 5th SBCT deployed approximately 4,000 soldiers to Afghanistan in mid-summer 2009. Part of the brigade is deployed to Zabul province as part of Task Force Zabul. This is the first rotation to Afghanistan for one of the U.S. Army's new Stryker brigades and includes the following units:
Based at Fort Richardson in Alaska, the 4th BCT relieved the 4th BCT of the 101st Airborne Division in March 2009. The brigade is responsible for Paktya, Paktika and Khost provinces. Known as Task Force Yukon, the 4th BCT includes the following units:
About 3,300 paratroopers from the 4th BCT deployed to western and southern Afghanistan in August 2009. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 4th BCT includes the following units:
MEB-Afghanistan absorbed the former Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan in southern Afghanistan on May 29, 2009, reflecting the Marine Corps portion of the increased U.S. troop commitment to Afghanistan. Headquartered by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, MEB-Afghanistan includes the following units:
The headquarters of the 82nd Airborne Division relieved the 101st Airborne Division's headquarters on June 3, 2009. Consisting of roughly 1,000 soldiers the 101st's headquarters officially became Combined Joint Task Force 82 and now commands NATO’s Regional Command East sector in Afghanistan.
The 45th, based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, relieved the 101st Sustainment Brigade on February 9, 2009. The brigade is responsible for the Joint Logistics Command and is augmented by an Army Reserve unit and a unit from the Maine Army National Guard.
The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) deployed approximately 2,800 soldiers to Afghanistan in the spring of 2009. The deployment is part of the buildup of combat forces in Afghanistan and the brigade relieved the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Known as Task Force Pegasus, the brigade is based at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan. The 82nd CAB includes the following units:
The 33rd BCT is currently the headquarters of Task Force Phoenix, which is in charge of training the Afghan National Army. The 33rd deployed in the winter of 2008, relieving the 27th BCT of the New York Army National Guard. The brigade includes 1,600 soldiers from Illinois augmented by volunteers from Arkansas, Guam, Georgia and Oregon and soldiers from the Inactive Ready Reserve. The 33rd includes the following units:
The 48th Infantry BCT deployed to continue training the Afghan National Security Forces. The 48th IBCT includes the following units: