Counterinsurgency in Northern Afghanistan

Counterinsurgency in Northern Afghanistan
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
German troops in combat in Chardara
Date April 2009 – December 2014 Location Northern Afghanistan Result Gradual "Afghanization" of combat operations during drawdown of ISAF forces; de facto status quo ante bellum
Belligerents
Coalition Germany United States  Afghanistan Belgium Sweden Norway  Finland[1]  Croatia[1]	Insurgents  Taliban  al-Qaeda
Commanders and leaders
Coalition John R. Allen Jörg Vollmer Ali Murat[2] Sean Mulholland Joar Fjellstad Jacky Cabo Gustav Fahl Notable leadership Markus Kneip (WIA) Jörg Vollmer Georg Klein Jared Sembritzki Michael Matz E. Goudemant	Insurgents Maulawi Shamsullah Notable leadership Qari Bashir Haqqani (KIA) Qari Sidiqulla (KIA) Mullah Ahsanullah (KIA) Mullah Bahador (KIA)[3] Mullah Abdul Salam (#) Qari Wadoud (#)[4] Unknown
Strength
Coalition exceeding 11,220 5,000+ troops 5,000+ troops [5] 500 troops 400 troops 400 troops 3 brigades,[1] unknown number of militia and police[2]	Insurgents up to 2,500 bulk of the force 10-50 at most (various foreign fighters) [6] "Hundreds" according to Taliban by 2009[7]
Casualties and losses
Coalition at least 570 50+ KIA, 150+ WIA, several MIA 35 KIA, 262 WIA[8] 25 KIA, 105 WIA 5 KIA, 34 WIA 5 KIA, 30 WIA Others 3 KIA, 10 WIA	Insurgents 1,140+ 635+ KIA, 152+ WIA, 149+ POW, 200+ surrender 4 KIA
Civilian casualties at least 120 killed or wounded 3 contractors killed

The following addresses the events in Northern Afghanistan between April 2009 and 2014. While this part of the country had long been relatively peaceful compared to the all-out war zones of the south and east, tensions would flare up again in 2008 when the German soldiers deployed to the area came under attack more often, leading to the deaths of the several soldiers.^[9] Previously hindered by national caveats,^[10] the deteroriating security situation prompted the German-led Regional Command North to launch a series of operations to take on the rising insurgency. Concerted operations began after an insurgent attack on PRT Kunduz within minutes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's departure from a visit.^[11] Within two years, the German presence would be doubled and additional reinforcements from the American ISAF contingent were called in, including heavy German armoured vehicles and US aviation assets, allowing for a more aggressive approach towards the insurgency.