Operation Achilles was the largest NATO-led operation in Afghanistan at the time, targeting Taliban control of Helmand province and the strategically vital Kajakai Dam.
Key Facts
- Start Date
- March 6, 2007
- Lead Force
- British ISAF forces
- Primary Objective
- Clear Helmand province of Taliban
- Key Sub-operation
- Operation Volcano – cleared Taliban complex near Kajakai Dam
- Key Sub-operation 2
- Operation Kryptonite – cleared the Kajakai Dam itself
- Scale
- Largest NATO operation in Afghanistan to that date
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Taliban forces maintained a strong presence in Helmand province and controlled areas around the Kajakai Dam, a major power source for Afghanistan that had been non-functional for years. NATO sought to dislodge them and restore the dam's operational capacity.
Beginning on March 6, 2007, NATO and British ISAF forces launched Operation Achilles across Helmand province. Sub-operations included Operation Volcano, which cleared a large Taliban complex near the Kajakai Dam, and Operation Kryptonite, which secured the dam itself. Taliban fighters largely avoided direct confrontation, resorting instead to guerrilla tactics.
Allied forces successfully cleared Taliban fighters from the Kajakai Dam area and its surrounding towns. The dam, a critical power infrastructure asset for Afghanistan, was secured by coalition forces, marking a significant territorial gain in Helmand province.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent