A British-led NATO operation.
“Operation Lastay Kulang, or “Pickaxe Handle” as it translates to in Pashto, was an offensive led by British forces as part of NATO efforts in the southern region of Afghanistan’s Helmand province. From May 30 to June 14, 2007, approximately 2000 personnel from the ISAF and the Afghan National Army participated in this operation, which directly succeeded Operation Achilles.
Early in the morning of May 30, 2007, ISAF and ANSF forces moved towards Kajaki Sofle village, located ten kilometers southwest of the town of Kajaki. Their goal was to eliminate a Taliban group that posed a significant threat to the Lower Sangin Valley’s peace and order. American troops from the 82nd Airborne Division carried out a night-time air assault on a Taliban stronghold. Tragically, a Chinook helicopter involved in the raid was hit by an RPG round and crashed, killing six crew members: five Americans, one British, and one Canadian.
By June 2, NATO reported it had trapped several groups of Taliban fighters. Concurrently, the Royal Engineers initiated multiple local reconstruction projects, including digging irrigation channels, with the aim of winning local support.
On June 5, an intense ground fight and subsequent air strikes led to the deaths of around two dozen Taliban fighters, as reported by the U.S.-led coalition and the Afghan government.
NATO helicopters observed two separate instances in early June where makeshift boats carrying over 80 Taliban fighters capsized in the Helmand River, allegedly causing the fighters to drown.
One British soldier lost his life during a gunfight at a Taliban compound northeast of Gereshk on June 6, with another NATO soldier losing his life in the southern region the same day.
On June 8, an engagement and subsequent airstrikes in the south resulted in the death or injury of 30 suspected Taliban fighters, as per the Ministry of Defense’s report.
The results of Operation Lastay Kulang remain contentious. NATO representatives contend that the operation achieved its goal of expelling the Taliban from Sangin and Gereshk, in addition to securing Kajaki District. A new governor was appointed in Sangin, and tribal elder councils or ‘Shuras’ were set up to address their issues. Conversely, the Taliban insists they maintain control over much of Kajaki and certain parts of Sangin district. Local residents corroborate these claims, expressing frustration that the Taliban merely return once NATO and ANA forces withdraw, and alleging that the security situation remains largely unchanged.”