Battle of Musa Qala

Battle of Musa Qala
	Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Date	7–12 December 2007
Location	Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan
Result	Coalition victory; Taliban retreat
Belligerents
ISAF United Kingdom; United States; Denmark; Estonia; Afghanistan	Taliban
Commanders and leaders
Andrew Mackay; Mahayadin Ghori	Abdul-Mannan Abdul-Rahim; Abdul-Matin Akhund; Abdul-Bari Akhund
Strength
4,500 ISAF and Afghan National Army forces	2,000 insurgents (Taliban claim); 300 insurgents (ISAF claim)
Casualties and losses
1 killed, 7 wounded; 1 killed, 2 wounded	Uncertain: ; Less than 100 total (ISAF claim). ; Hundreds killed, wounded and detained (Afghan Defence Ministry claim).
	2–40 civilians killed.

The Battle of Musa Qala (also Qaleh or Qal'eh)^[9] was a British-led military action in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, launched by the Afghan National Army and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) against the Taliban on 7 December 2007.^[1] After three days of intense fighting, the Taliban retreated into the mountains on 10 December.^[10] Musa Qala was officially reported captured on 12 December, with Afghan Army troops pushing into the town centre.^[11]

The operation was codenamed snakepit (Pashto: Mar Kardad).^[1] Senior ISAF officers, including U.S. general Dan K. McNeill, the overall ISAF commander, agreed to the assault on 17 November 2007.^[12] It followed more than nine months of Taliban occupation of the town, the largest the insurgents controlled at the time of the battle. ISAF forces had previously occupied the town, until a controversial withdrawal in late 2006.

It was the first battle in the War in Afghanistan in which Afghan army units were the principal fighting force. Statements from the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) emphasised that the operation was Afghan-led,^[13] although the ability of Afghan units to function without NATO control was questioned during the battle.^[5] Military engagement over Musa Qala is part of a wider conflict between coalition forces and the Taliban in Helmand. Both before and after the battle, related fighting was reported across a larger area, particularly in Sangin district to the south of Musa Qala.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Townsend, Mark (9 December 2007). "Fierce battle rages for Taliban stronghold". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
^ Rayment, Sean; Coghlan, Tom (12 December 2007). "A deadly Afghan battle like none other". London: The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
^ Cite error: The named reference deflink was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Stars was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Times9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference NATO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Reuters was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Burke J., Norton-Taylor R. (11 December 2007). "Allies move into town held by Taliban". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2007.
^ "Musa Qal'eh, Afghanistan Page". Falling Rain Genomics. September 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
^ Cite error: The named reference BBCTalibanRetreat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Afghan flag flies over Musa Qaleh once again". Defence News. British Ministry of Defence. 12 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
^ Hurst, Pat; Starkey, Jerome (17 December 2007). "The taking of Musa Qala". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2007.
^ ""Time is now right" for retaking Musa Qaleh - Browne". Defence News. British Ministry of Defence. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.

[Guard-1] Townsend, Mark (9 December 2007). "Fierce battle rages for Taliban stronghold". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.

[Telegraph12b-2] Rayment, Sean; Coghlan, Tom (12 December 2007). "A deadly Afghan battle like none other". London: The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2008.

[deflink-3] Cite error: The named reference deflink was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Stars-4] Cite error: The named reference Stars was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Times9-5] Cite error: The named reference Times9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[NATO-6] Cite error: The named reference NATO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Reuters-7] Cite error: The named reference Reuters was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[8] Burke J., Norton-Taylor R. (11 December 2007). "Allies move into town held by Taliban". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2007.

[9] "Musa Qal'eh, Afghanistan Page". Falling Rain Genomics. September 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.

[BBCTalibanRetreat-10] Cite error: The named reference BBCTalibanRetreat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[MOD12-11] "Afghan flag flies over Musa Qaleh once again". Defence News. British Ministry of Defence. 12 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.

[Scotsman17-12] Hurst, Pat; Starkey, Jerome (17 December 2007). "The taking of Musa Qala". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2007.

[13] ""Time is now right" for retaking Musa Qaleh - Browne". Defence News. British Ministry of Defence. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2007.

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