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Reply With QuoteCondolences to the families and friends of those fallen and my wishes for the speedy and full recovery of the wounded. Read like a nasty contact. Sorry for your troops. God watch over them all as best as possible.
On Friday three German soldiers were killed and eight others injured in a long firefight with a company-strength unit of Taliban ambushing them (numbers on that vary of course, anywhere from 80 to 200 have been mentioned). The firefight lasted from sometime between noon and 1 pm till shortly after 6 pm local time, ending just before dusk.
The three KIA occured in the first wave of the ambush; some WIA were caused by an armoured vehicle (either a Dingo or a Fuchs) being attacked with an IED. Four of the WIA are critical. The German soldiers, along with a Belgian detachment and some Afghan Police, were supposedly patrolling for IEDs in the vicinity of a German FOB in Char Darrah to ready the area for an engineer unit to build a bridge. The attack occured in Isa Khel, five km from the German base in Kunduz.
Afghan intelligence sources maintain 5 Taliban KIA, including local commander Nazeri Enayatullah.
US Forces were involved with two F-16 in show-of-force during the battle (CAS rumoured by some people, not confirmed) and a helo detachment medevacing injured from the scene.
Edit:
According to some reports, KSK special forces and the QRF - equipped with Marder 1A5 IFVs - were used to disperse the Taliban in the latter stages of the fight.
Last edited by kato; 03 Apr 10, at 01:09.
Condolences to the families and friends of those fallen and my wishes for the speedy and full recovery of the wounded. Read like a nasty contact. Sorry for your troops. God watch over them all as best as possible.
"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs
Afghan sources now blame Germany for a friendly fire incident connected to the above firefight:
Apparently two unmarked Ford Ranger armed technicals with ANA soldiers were intercepted and one of them was engaged by a Marder IFV of the QRF with its 20mm gun mistaking them for further Taliban. All 5 ANA soldiers in the vehicle were killed.
The incident involved three Marder IFV of the QRF on their way from the camp to the site of the firefight to secure the area after dusk. The Bundeswehr claims the Marder only engaged the vehicle after it didn't stop when flagged down. The Bundeswehr has previously found ANA vehicles of the same type (donated by the USA) in the hands of both civilians and Taliban. The ANA does not use radio equipment compatible with German systems.
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Apparently two Dingos were destroyed in the firefight, both by IEDs.
One of two Dingo MPVs destroyed in the firefight:
Last edited by kato; 03 Apr 10, at 14:02.
The firefight on Friday has launched a new round of people going around demanding additional equipment for GECON ISAF.
The current Armed Forces Commissioner Robbe (SPD) is critizising that units at home do not have enough of the same vehicles as ISAF to train - a lot of equipment for ISAF has been procured under the header "mission-specific equipment requirement" for budgetary reasons, usually not including enough additional vehicles for training. Additionally he's asking for more helos and transport aircraft, the usual thing that's been missing for years.
The designated new Armed Forces Commissioner Königshaus (FDP) has been calling for Leopard 2 tanks to be sent to Afghanistan. The Army subsequently told the press that the primary German AoR isn't suitable for 60-ton tanks.
Opposition politicians have been calling for attack helicopters, while a couple retired generals have called for artillery and massive air strikes. Defense Minister Guttenberg has called both 'nonsense', in line with most active military staff.
After the assault on Friday 2 March Secretary of Defense zu Guttenberg now sends heavy equipment to Afghanistan, among other things 2 to PzH2000 (more PzH would be better however better than nothing)
However there aren't any MBT among the support. They are to heavy for the bridges in Afghanistan.
the article (only in german): Blitzbesuch bei deutschen Soldaten: Guttenberg rüstet Bundeswehr in Afghanistan auf - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Politik
Only which disturbs me really is that soldiers have to die before the political will is there to support the troops
I hope my English is to some extent understandable.
Last edited by Tarond; 14 Apr 10, at 19:57.
Other assets to be sent include more Marder IFVs and TOW launchers.
The US will deploy the 1-87th Infantry Bn with various support assets of 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division (in particular aviation) to RC N within the next few weeks, notably to operate officially under Bundeswehr command.
Apparrantly four more German soldiers were killed in heavy fighting near Kunduz today, with more injured.
Deadly Attack: Four German Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - InternationalSPIEGEL ONLINE has learned that four German soldiers were killed during an attack in northern Afghanistan. The deaths follow a similar attack less than two weeks ago -- and a visit on Wednesday by the defense minister.
Four German soldiers are reported dead in an attack on a military patrol in Afghanistan, less than two weeks after a deadly ambush in the same region. SPIEGEL ONLINE has learned from sources in the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, that the soldiers were attacked with shoulder-fired rockets during a patrol between Kunduz and Baghlan. An as yet unknown number of Bundeswehr troops have been seriously injured.
The attack came a day after German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg made a surprise visit to Afghanistan. He received the news Thursday just after landing at a German supply base in Termez, Uzbekistan.
"I am deeply saddened to inform you that, according to the latest information, three or four German soldiers have been killed and five or six soldiers have been injured," the defense minister said from Termez, promising to return to Afghanistan to "be with our soldiers" and to investigate the deaths.
It is believed that the soldiers killed on Thursday were part of the German Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Faizabad, in the province of Badakhshan. A spokesman for Guttenberg said he would travel to Faizabad if that information were confirmed.
Government Takes Steps to Better Equip Troops
On Friday, April 2, three German soldiers were killed and another eight injured in an ambush that sparked the heaviest fighting since the start of German deployment in Afghanistan.
The government in Berlin appeared this week to be taking steps to better equip its troops. On Thursday the Financial Times Deutschland reported that the government planned to order 60 Eagle IV armored vehicles from Swiss manufacturer Mowag. Another 90 will be ordered in 2011 according to current government plans, the paper reported.
During his visit on Wednesday, Guttenberg had already pledged to improve the soldiers' equipment. He promised to send two large armored howitzers, TOW anti-tank missiles and additional Marder armored personnel carriers.
About 4,500 German troops are stationed in Afghanistan now. They currently have around 975 armored vehicles from various manufacturers, according to the Financial Times, but in a letter to leaders of the political parties in Germany's parliament, Guttenberg wrote that 600 of the vehicles needed to be replaced in light of an increased threat from roadside bombs and other attacks.
Guttenberg said in the letter that the armored vehicles were needed as quickly as possible -- especially considering the government's plans to bolster the number of Bundeswehr troops in Afghanistan to 5,350.
German involvement in Afghanistan remains a controversial topic for voters.
With reporting by Matthias Gebauer and John Goetz
Present arms! May they rest in peace.
"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs
Present Arms.
Chimo
I read a report that the increase in German Equipment will include some of these Beautiful pieces of German Engineering. Good luck getting it to your Area of Operations though. Up North is pretty rugged terrain.
"Admit nothing, deny everything, make counter-accusations".- Motto of the Gun Crew who have just done something incredibly stupid!!!!
The two PzH 2000 will probably be stationed inside the camp in Kunduz and remain there, including for any possible fire missions. Most of the recent combat happened within 20 km of that camp anyway, e.g. the firefight on Good Friday above happened in a village about 5 km from the camp.
The QRF there is also getting more Marders - probably at least a third platoon. And a couple TOW launchers will round out the ToE of troops there; these will presumably go to FOBs like Hill 431 in Char Darrah.
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Small update on the WIA from Good Friday btw: One of the four soldiers medevaced to Germany will be able to leave the hospital within the next couple days. Two of the soldiers were in an artificial coma until yesterday, one of these is still in the ICU now.
Those 2 PZH will be a valuable asset. Kunduz can handle an AN225 so no probs getting them there.
I met a couple of Australian Artillery Officers last year who were seriously impressed with that piece of gear. The Dutch have provided some seriosu fire support for Australian forces to great effect.
"Admit nothing, deny everything, make counter-accusations".- Motto of the Gun Crew who have just done something incredibly stupid!!!!
It will in particular be interesting how they operate in connection with KZO drones - which were originally developed specifically as artillery observation drones for the PzH 2000.
KZO launch in Kunduz over the camp wall:
Are "only" two PzH 2000 enough to ensure that you always have one ready to use when needed? How long could they be on standy-by?
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