Fall of Mazar-i-Sharif | |||||||
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Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) | |||||||
U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers with Northern Alliance fighters at Mazar-i-Sharif on 10 November 2001 | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Taliban al-Qaeda IMU TNSM[1] ETIM Foreign fighters | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Atiqullah Baryalai Abdul Rashid Dostum Atta Muhammad Nur Mohammad Mohaqiq Tommy Franks[2] |
Juma Namangani (KIA) Fazil Mazloom (POW) Nurullah Nuri (POW) Abdul-Razzaq Nafiz (WIA) Abdul-Qahir Usmani (POW) Sufi Muhammad | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
2,012+[3] | 5,000[3] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
8 Junbish-i-Milli Islami[4] and 30 Jamiat-e Islami[5] fighters killed | 300 killed, 250 captured[6] |
The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif (or Mazar-e-Sharif) in November 2001 resulted from the first major offensive of the Afghanistan War after American intervention. A push into the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh Province by the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Northern Alliance), combined with U.S. Army Special Forces aerial bombardment, resulted in the withdrawal of Taliban forces who had held the city since 1998. After the fall of outlying villages, and an intensive bombardment, the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces withdrew from the city. Several hundred pro-Taliban fighters were killed. Approximately 500 were captured, and approximately 1,000 reportedly defected. The capture of Mazar-i-Sharif was the first major defeat for the Taliban.
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