Battle of Doan

Battle of Doan Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), Operation Slipper Date 9 September 2011 Location Doan village, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan Result Coalition Victory Taliban withdrew Village of Doan secured Belligerents  Australia  Afghanistan  United States Taliban insurgents Commanders and leaders LT LT Unknown Units involved 2 RAR Afghan National Army 29th Infantry Division Strength 60+ combined force of Australians and Afghans Several Bushmaster vehicles US air support and QRF assets Unknown number of Taliban fighters Casualties and losses 1 Australian wounded 1 Bushmaster destroyed Unconfirmed number of fighters killed/or injured 1 local arrested on suspicion.

War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) Timeline 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Battles and operations Invasion Crescent Wind Rhino Mazar-i-Sharif Kunduz Herat Kabul Tawin Kowt Shawali Kowt Sayyd Alma Kalay Qala-i-Jangi Kandahar Tora Bora Helmand Province campaign Lejay Eagle Fury Lashkar Gah Mountain Thrust 1st Sangin Mountain Fury Now Zad Achilles Musa Qala I Volcano Kryptonite Silver Pickaxe-Handle Hammer Nasrat Musa Qala II Garmsir Eagle's Summit Red Dagger Shahi Tandar Diesel Mar Lewe Panther's Claw Nad Strike of the Sword Dahaneh Cobra's Anger Moshtarak Tor Shezada 2nd Sangin Camp Bastion Kandahar Province Medusa Avalanche Kaika Panjwaii Falcon Summit Hoover Luger Kamin Shah Wali Kot 1st Kandahar Spin Boldak Sarposa Prison Arghandab Wech Baghtu 2nd Kandahar Nadahan wedding bombing Hamkari Dragon Strike Baawar Kandahar Eastern Afghanistan Hazar Qadam Anaconda (Takur Ghar) Warrior Sweep Jacana Haven Denial Mountain Resolve Tar Heels Korangal valley (Red Wings) Afghanya Ebrahimkhel Jaji border incident Nangar Khel South Korean hostages Wanat Alasay Nishagam Ganjal Kamdesh 2010 Badakhshan massacre Narang Khataba Bad Pakh Bulldog Bite Do Ab Asadabad Battle of Barawala Kalay Valley Kabul Province 1st Kabul Hotel Serena 1st Indian Embassy Uzbin Feb 2009 Kabul raid 2nd Indian Embassy Bakhtar guest house NATO headquarters Jan 2010 Kabul raid Feb 2010 Kabul raid May 2010 Kabul bombing NATO convoy 2nd Kabul Kunduz Province Kunduz airstrike Oqab Sahda Ehlm Gala-e Gorg Harekate Yolo Karez Halmazag Mountain Viper Asbury Park Perth Chora Firebase Anaconda Shewan Balamorghab Derapet Doan Airstrikes Azizabad Baraki Barak Deh Bala Gora Prai Granai Hyderabad Kapisa Kunar Raid Kunduz Mano Gai Sayyd Alma Kalay Sangin Uruzgan Wech Baghtu Major insurgent attacks Kabul (2002) Bagram (2007) Baghlan (2007) Kandahar (2008) Spin Boldak (2008) Kabul Indian Embassy (2008) Kabul Serena Hotel (2008) Kabul raids (2009) Kandahar (2009) Kabul Indian Embassy (2009) Kabul UN guesthouse (2009) Camp Chapman (2009) Kabul (Feb 2010) Kabul (May 2010) Nadahan (2010) Logar (2011) Nimruz (2011) Kabul & Mazar-e-Sharif (2011) April 2012 raids Camp Bastion (2012) Farah (2013) Kabul Supreme Court (2013) Kabul Serena Hotel (2014) Massacres Dasht-i-Leili Massacre Kandahar Khataba Maywand Nangar Narang Shinwar Other U.S. urination incident 2012 Quran burning protests Insurgents' bodies U.S.–Afghan Strategic Agreement U.S. Withdrawal

The Battle of Doan took place on 9 September 2011, during the War in Afghanistan, between forces of the Taliban and elements of the Afghan National Army accompanied by units of the Australian Army deployed under Operation Slipper. The Taliban fired harassing fire at an Australian and Afghan patrol near the village of Doan, in Oruzgan Province, causing the loss of one Australian vehicle, with one soldier wounded. One person was arrested, while casualties on the Taliban side are unknown.

Background

The village of Doan is located in the western part of Oruzgan Province which is often called the "Wild West of Oruzgan" due to the high level of violent attacks. One of the most remote outposts in Oruzgan is Patrol Base Tinsley, which is where Australians train their Afghan colleagues. Part of their training involves patrols in order to halt the advance of the Taliban. The Australians and ANA conducted a three-day joint patrol to the village of Doan. During this time, they were constantly being engaged by sporadic fire from the 'green zone'.

Battle

On 9 September 2011 a joint patrol of Australians from Combat Team Charlie, Mentoring Task Force 3 and ANA troops came under Taliban fire near Doan. The patrol made its way through the village before exchanging fire on the outskirts of Doan. RPGs and a mortar crew added to the coalition's firepower. During the battle, a Bushmaster vehicle was destroyed when it hit an IED whilst under fire, a digger was wounded and airlifted to hospital. The Taliban eventually fortified themselves on a hill and managed to counter all attacks. The fighting dragged on well into the night until an airstrike was called in and US fighter jets bombarded Taliban positions, ending the battle.

Aftermath

The Australian who was wounded was airlifted to a Coalition hospital in Tarin Kowt and treated for his injuries. A squad of US soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division who had been assigned as the security force for the region's Civil Affairs forces, assisted in the Quick Reaction Force (QRF), casevac, and resupply of Australian forces after providing QRF and casevac to American Special Forces who were concurrently operating north of their position in the Kod Valley. It is estimated that a small number of Taliban were killed during the battle, primarily due to the airstrike. During the battle, the Australians arrested a local Afghan on suspicion of aiding the Taliban. No civilians were killed or injured and the village of Doan was secured.^[1][2][3]

References