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Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay

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Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay
Part of the War in Afghanistan and Afghan Civil War
Date4 December 2001
Location
Sayyd Alma Kalay, Arghandab River, Afghanistan
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 United States
Islamic State of Afghanistan
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Commanders and leaders
United States Jason Amerine
Afghanistan Hamid Karzai
Strength
300

The Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay that took place near the Arghandab River in Afghanistan during the United States invasion of Afghanistan. The Taliban were defeated by the United States and its Afghan allies, setting the stage for the Fall of Kandahar.

Battle

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On 3 December 2001, following previous combat at the Battle of Shawali Kowt, as the Afghans scaled to the top of a ridge overlooking the Taliban-controlled town of Sayyd Alma Kalay, they were hit by machine gun fire and RPGs. The Afghans began retreating, so Captain Jason Amerine and his men ran forward and fired down on the enemy.[1] Despite being exposed to intense fire, Sgt. Alan Yoshida, the air-combat controller, advanced toward the hilltop and directed airstrikes that wiped out three Taliban positions.[2] The battle continued on 4 December, and Amerine's team finally drove off the Taliban and took control of the town and bridge while Hamid Karzai's men held the ridge. As combat eased, the leaders from the army's Third Battalion headquarters arrived by helicopter on 5 December to give Amerine and his men a break. For the first time in weeks, they received care packages and letters from home. After this, the Taliban planned to formally surrender Kandahar Province.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Charles H. Briscoe; James A. Schroder; Kalev I. Sepp; Richard L. Kiper (June 2006). Weapon of Choice: ARSOF in Afghanistan. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 175–6. ISBN 978-0-16-072958-4.
  2. ^ Zullo, Allan: Battle Heroes: Voices from Afghanistan