In this article, we are going to explore the topic of Operation Septentrion in detail. Throughout history, Operation Septentrion has played a crucial role in numerous contexts and situations. From its origins to its relevance today, Operation Septentrion has been the subject of study and debate by experts in the field. Through this article, we will immerse ourselves in the fascinating world of Operation Septentrion, exploring its different facets and discovering its impact on various aspects of society. We will delve into its historical importance, its contemporary implications and future perspectives related to Operation Septentrion.
Operation Septentrion | |||||
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Part of the War in Afghanistan | |||||
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Belligerents | |||||
International Security Assistance Force | Taliban | ||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
Lieutenant-Colonel Hervé Wallerand | Unknown | ||||
Units involved | |||||
• French Army • United States Special Forces • Afghan National Army (ANA) | |||||
Strength | |||||
• 750–800 (French Army) • 200 (United States Special Forces)[which?] • (Afghan National Army) | Unknown |
Operation Septentrion was a 36-hour military operation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a NATO-led security mission, that took place December 16–18, 2009, in the Uzbin Valley of eastern Afghanistan.
A part of the War in Afghanistan, it involved a force of 1,100 troops, including 750 to 800 French troops, 200 United States Special Forces and Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers.
Sixteen months before the operation, the Uzbin Valley ambush, on August 18, 2008, by the Taliban in the area of Surobi, Afghanistan, had killed ten French soldiers and wounded twenty-one.
The operation's purpose was "reaffirming the sovereignty of Afghan security forces in the north of the Uzbeen [sic] Valley", according to a French military spokesperson, as well as to plant the Afghan flag in what was called a key strategic village.[which?] (While 75 percent of the Uzbin Valley had been under ISAF control, the rest of the valley had been under the control of the Taliban.)
During more than 90 minutes of combat, several US soldiers were wounded, including three serious injuries. The Taliban fighters attacked with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and heavy machine gun fire; for the coalition forces, the French troops used shells,[clarification needed] backed up by French Tigre and US Apache helicopters and fighter jets. At least one Taliban fighter was killed and three were injured, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Hervé Wallerand, who led the operation.
The French employed what was called the "Mikado strategy" (la stratégie du Mikado), after the game Mikado (known in North America as "pick-up sticks"), because of the need to plan every move carefully with constant awareness that one wrong step could risk everything being lost. In particular, the Mikado strategy emphasizes consulting with local inhabitants in a shura (or consultation) to minimize the risk of local civilians conspiring against the ANA and ISAF forces. For this reason the operation was preceded by "weeks of negotiations with local villagers", according to the BBC News.
In July 2011, the Croix de la Valeur Militaire ("cross of military valour"), a French military decoration, was presented to five Americans – Cpt. Thomas Harper, Master Sgt. David Nuemer, Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Ahern, Staff Sgt. Casey Roberts and Sgt. Ryan Meister – for their service during the operation.
Tout ceci fait un peu référence au jeu du «mikado», ce jeu de baguettes imbriquées où il faut les retirer une à une sans faire bouger les autres. Pour jouer, il faut d'abord bien saisir comment se présente l'équilibre des différentes petites baguettes entre elles. En Afghanistan, c'est exactement la même chose. Si on fait un geste de travers, on risque de tout faire tomber et de perdre. Mais en même temps, parfois, un seul joli coup peut faire régler la situation de manière durable; on peut alors gagner assez vite.
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