Battle of Lashkagar
Encyclopedia
The Friendly Fire incident at Sangin was a military incident that took place on March 29, 2006. Afghan militants mounted an assault on a forward operating base
in Helmand province
near the town of Lashkagar, which had been opened only six weeks earlier and was staffed by 100 ANA soldiers and their
American trainers, using small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars
.
While eight Afghan soldiers were killed in the initial assault, an American soldier was killed and another wounded, a Canadian soldier was killed and three more wounded, and another Afghan soldier was wounded following a friendly fire
incident in which an American soldier manning a Humvee-mounted 7.62mm gun fired on their positions.
re-supply convoy on Highway 611 near FOB Robinson
, killing two soldiers. Although the locally-contracted convoy was unknown to Coalition troops prior to its reporting of contact with insurgents, two British Harrier aircraft were dispatched from Kandahar Airfield
, along with a pair of American Apache gunships. After the militants were scattered two hours after the fighting began, the convoy was hit a short distance later by an improvised explosive device
along the roadside, killing six soldiers, and was stranded 9-13 miles from the base.
At approximately 10:00pm, a Quick Reaction Force
, made up of 38 men comprising 7 Platoon of Charlie Company of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
, was deployed from the airfield in American helicopters, to escort the convoy back to its base.
The militants resurfaced in the hills to the west of the base, the ruins of a mud house to the north, and the poppy fields to the south, and began firing their AK-47
s and RPGs. American Sgt John T. Stone was shot in the torso, possibly by friendly fire
.
The first Canadian to die in actual combat in the war, Pte Robert Costall was laying down cover fire with his C-9
from beneath a small berm together with Chris Fernandez-Ledon. He was shot once through the back of the head, and once in the chest. PWO Ray Brodeur was shot in the leg and the midriff, and two other Canadians were also wounded, as was an American - all from a single American Humvee which fired 3-5 bursts at friendly positions before being ordered to cease fire when it was realised he was firing on friendly forces.
American B-52 bombers then dropped bombs on the militant positions, bringing their estimated dead to 30, and effectively ending the battle.
investigation, the American Criminal Investigation Detachment and the Canadian National Investigation Service. Canada also launched a board of inquiry, which determined all four Canadians had indeed been shot as a result of friendly fire
from an American HMMWV.
The two gun barrel
s from the vehicle were seized by American military investigators as part of a criminal investigation.
Following an external examination by Lieutenant Commander Clifford at Kandahar Airfield, Costall's remains were sent back to Canada, where the Chief Coroner of Ontario performed an autopsy on April 2, 2006. The bullets extracted from his body were turned over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
forensics laboratory in Halifax, and found to be consistent with 7.62mm rounds.
Following the battle, the PPCLI launched "a response" by moving in to take control of Taliban-controlled poppy fields through Operation Ketara.
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
in Helmand province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
near the town of Lashkagar, which had been opened only six weeks earlier and was staffed by 100 ANA soldiers and their
American trainers, using small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
.
While eight Afghan soldiers were killed in the initial assault, an American soldier was killed and another wounded, a Canadian soldier was killed and three more wounded, and another Afghan soldier was wounded following a friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
incident in which an American soldier manning a Humvee-mounted 7.62mm gun fired on their positions.
Convoy attacked
The fighting began when the militants attacked an Afghan National ArmyAfghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
re-supply convoy on Highway 611 near FOB Robinson
FOB Robinson
FOB Robinson is a Forward Operating Base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. It is located next to the Helmand River, near the town of Heydarabad....
, killing two soldiers. Although the locally-contracted convoy was unknown to Coalition troops prior to its reporting of contact with insurgents, two British Harrier aircraft were dispatched from Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
, along with a pair of American Apache gunships. After the militants were scattered two hours after the fighting began, the convoy was hit a short distance later by an improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
along the roadside, killing six soldiers, and was stranded 9-13 miles from the base.
At approximately 10:00pm, a Quick Reaction Force
Quick reaction force
Quick Reaction Force or is a military unit, generally platoon-sized in the United States Marine Corps, that is capable of rapid response to developing situations. They are to have equipment ready, to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less, although this is based on...
, made up of 38 men comprising 7 Platoon of Charlie Company of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
, was deployed from the airfield in American helicopters, to escort the convoy back to its base.
Base attacked
Four hours later, with the convoy and Canadian escort now resting in the base, the American forces conducted a defensive patrol and determined that "there's no way they'll hit us tonight", referring to their belief that the 80-vehicle convoy and new troop presence would deter the insurgents.The militants resurfaced in the hills to the west of the base, the ruins of a mud house to the north, and the poppy fields to the south, and began firing their AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
s and RPGs. American Sgt John T. Stone was shot in the torso, possibly by friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
.
The first Canadian to die in actual combat in the war, Pte Robert Costall was laying down cover fire with his C-9
SAW
A saw is a cutting tool.Saw or SAW may also refer to:-In Film:*Saw , a series of horror films**"Saw" , a 2003 short film by James Wan, upon which the series of films was originally based**Saw...
from beneath a small berm together with Chris Fernandez-Ledon. He was shot once through the back of the head, and once in the chest. PWO Ray Brodeur was shot in the leg and the midriff, and two other Canadians were also wounded, as was an American - all from a single American Humvee which fired 3-5 bursts at friendly positions before being ordered to cease fire when it was realised he was firing on friendly forces.
American B-52 bombers then dropped bombs on the militant positions, bringing their estimated dead to 30, and effectively ending the battle.
Aftermath
Three separate investigations were launched within a day of the battle, by the American CJTF-76 who ordered an AR-15AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
investigation, the American Criminal Investigation Detachment and the Canadian National Investigation Service. Canada also launched a board of inquiry, which determined all four Canadians had indeed been shot as a result of friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
from an American HMMWV.
The two gun barrel
Gun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
s from the vehicle were seized by American military investigators as part of a criminal investigation.
Following an external examination by Lieutenant Commander Clifford at Kandahar Airfield, Costall's remains were sent back to Canada, where the Chief Coroner of Ontario performed an autopsy on April 2, 2006. The bullets extracted from his body were turned over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
forensics laboratory in Halifax, and found to be consistent with 7.62mm rounds.
Following the battle, the PPCLI launched "a response" by moving in to take control of Taliban-controlled poppy fields through Operation Ketara.