Coalition combat operations in Afgh-
anistan in 2006
In January 2006, NATO’s focus in southern
Afghanistan was to form Provincial Recon-
struction Teams with the British leading in
Helmand Province and the Netherlands and
Canada would lead similar deployments in
Orūzgān Province and Kandahar Province re-
spectively. The Americans with 2,200 troops
stayed in control of Zabul Province. Local
Taliban figures voiced opposition to the in-
coming force and pledged to resist it. [1]
NATO expands in south-
ern Afghanistan
From January 2006, a NATO International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force star-
ted to replace U.S troops in southern Afgh-
anistan as part of Operation Enduring Free-
dom.[1] The British 16th Air Assault Brigade
(later reinforced by Royal Marines) formed
the core of the force in Southern Afgh-
anistan, along with troops and helicopters
from Australia, Canada and the Netherlands.
The initial force consisted of roughly 3,300
British, [2] 2,500 Canadian, [3] 1,963 from
the Netherlands, [4] 280 from Denmark, [5]
240 from Australia, [6] and 150 from Estonia
[7]. Air support was provided by US, British,
Dutch, Norwegian and French combat air-
craft and helicopters.
Southern Afghanistan has faced in 2006
the deadliest spate in violence in the country
since the ousting of the Taliban regime by
U.S.-led forces in 2001, as the newly de-
ployed NATO troops have battled resurgent
militants. Operation Mountain Thrust was
launched on May 17, 2006 with the purposes
of rooting out Taliban forces. [8] Canadians
were one of the leading combatants and the
first fighting when the Battle of Panjwaii took
place. Complex mud-walled compounds made
the rural Panjwaii district take on an almost
urban style of fighting in some places. Daily
firefights, artillery bombardments, and allied
airstrikes turned the tides of the battle in fa-
vour of the Canadians. On July 3, 2006 it was
reported that British Army leaders were
warning Prime Minister Tony Blair that vic-
tory was not yet certain in Afghanistan, and
were calling for