A number of oversights may have contributed to the Oct. 4 death of a U.S. Army National Guard explosive ordnance disposal technician in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the New York Times reports.
On the 24th of May, dozens of Taliban leaders were congregating in a building located in the Musa Qala district of Afghanistan. The U.S. military authorized a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System strike on the meeting place, which killed at least 50 Taliban insurgents, according to U.S. military officials in Afghanistan.
The Marines in southern Afghanistan are tasked with helping Afghan security forces from inside the wire, but their commander said it is also possible for them to go into combat.
In mid-November, a group of elite Taliban commandos outfitted with U.S-made assault weapons and night-vision goggles wiped out dozens of Afghan security forces in a series of brazen raids across southern and western Afghanistan. The tactics and gear utilized by the so-called Red Unit sent a wave of anxiety through U.S. and Afghan defense officials already struggling to beat back the rising tide of a Taliban resurgence since the official end of NATO combat operations in 2014.
The Marine Corps is sending additional troops to Afghanistan in response to a request from Task Force Southwest, a 300-strong contingent of Marines based in Helmand province, according to an Aug. 8 NBC News report.
