The Korengal Valley

Kunar Province is a small, mountainous, forested province in northeastern Afghanistan, on the border with Pakistan. (The Khyber Pass runs into Nangarhar Province, which borders Kunar on the south.)

Kunar shares a border with Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, and with the Bajaur Agency in the FATA. The Taliban are strong in Bajaur, and Pakistan made one of its peace deals with this Agency. The Taliban come across the border into Kunar, and maintain a presence in the Korengal Valley.

There has been much fighting in the Korengal Valley, as US forces do the hard work to stem this tide. From this article, which describes what happened during Operation Red Wing:

"The terrorists who attacked the Trade Center were trained up here," said Stanton, the C Company commander. "It's a traditional safe haven for al-Qaeda... . They're here, they're in the country, they're very prevalent, and they don't want us here. More specifically, they don't want the government of Afghanistan to succeed."

In 2005, three members of a four-man Navy SEAL team were killed in an ambush in Konar, in the hills along the Korengal River, a Pech tributary. The militants shot down a Chinook helicopter sent to rescue the SEALs, killing all 16 aboard, the biggest blow against U.S. forces in Afghanistan since 2001.

Operation Whalers was launched later that summer in 2005. (In October 2005, Operation Pil took place in the nearby Watapor Valley.)

Then, in April 2006, Operation Mountain Lion got underway in the Korengal Valley.

An estimated 2,500 Afghan and coalition forces are in the Korengal and surrounding valleys in what military officials are calling the most significant effort yet to bring stability to this war-torn region.

"The enemy has very few options," said Marine Lt. Col. James Bierman, commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, whose Hawaii-based unit is the main thrust of the operation. "The first option he has is to run. If he runs, he leaves the safety and sanctuary of the villages where he's mixed with the local population, and he now becomes detectable by air support."

Every single company from 1/3 has been in firefights and received fire, said Marine 1st Lt. Kevin Frost, platoon commander for 3rd Platoon, Company C. "It is a credit to our abilities as coalition forces that they've shot at us but haven't come close to winning any engagements," Frost said.

FOX reporter Greg Palkot was there, and had a series of reports.

In October 2006, Jerry Newberry had this report on Life on the "KOP". AfghaniDan had several beautiful photos from the valley.

Today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fights here.

The paratroopers were keen for the mission despite their rough conditions. The difference between a tan line and dirty skin has long since passed. Bites from sand fleas and mosquitoes just add to the problem. Electricity, toilets and running water (a 45 minute patrol away) are long forgotten conveniences.

The paratroopers are Sky soldiers from Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

For the last month, 2nd Platoon and a platoon from the Afghan National Army have been operating out of Firebase Phoenix — the southern most firebase in the Korengal Valley, which is located in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

The living conditions for the soldiers are the least of their problems. The Korengal Valley is a support area for Taliban extremists

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The 173rd has had its casualties. Among them,

Pfc. Juan Restrepo was killed in the valley on July 22 of this year.

Pfc. Timothy Ray Vimoto was killed in the valley on June 5.

(Spc. Christopher Honaker and Pfc. Joseph Miracle were killed July 5 in the Watapor Valley.)

Here is a story about the 173rd and fighting in an area around Korengal called the "Valley of Fire." You can keep up with the 173rd at the SETAF site.

God bless all our troops who fight a tenacious enemy in remote, difficult terrain like the Korengal Valley.

Update 2/24/08: See also More on the Korengal Valley