US Special Operations Forces Fighting ISIS In Afghanistan (2017)

first published on January 1, 2018 by Will

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An awesome new video mashup from US Special Operations Forces fighting against ISIS-K in Afghanistan has emerged to give us insight into the unpublicized long war.

The United States’ war in Afghanistan has nearly spanned two decades, and with the recent upswing in offensive operations, new less restrictive rules of engagement, and a new administration that insists some sort of a victory is possible, there really isn’t a foreseeable outcome on the horizon.

The new Special Operations combat footage video features unidentified asymmetrical warfare troops, likely US Army Green Berets, engaging in various operations while using a plethora of weapon systems. A half dozen Javelin launches, some Carl Gustav love, and AT-4’s ravage distant Islamic State targets in the all too familiar remote and rugged terrain.

Early in the video, mounted troops can be seen firing a less lethal shotgun round at the driver’s side window of a jingle truck. The clip is sure to outrage those looking to be offended, but those who’ve been in the thick of it know that this kind of conditioning is necessary when dealing with noncompliant drivers. This A-hole move by the special forces operator could end up saving that driver’s life later on by making him think twice before trying operate his vehicle amongst a convoy of tightly-wound combat troops. With the constant threat of Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (SVBIED) that the Islamic State is notorious for, the next convoy may not be as considerate as the soldier using less lethal shotgun ammunition. They may just skip straight to neutralizing the possible threat.

The inoculation of the Islamic State has changed the battle for Afghanistan. While the US is currently fighting against the Taliban in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand as well as the mountainous east… they are also fighting on a totally separate front against an enemy that operates independent of the Taliban. This Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) is the IS affiliate spreading in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. In Afghanistan, IS-K has set up shop mainly in the mountainous Nangarhar province, which was the scene of the MOAB drop earlier in the year as well as the location of multiple US troop deaths.

Back in August, President Trump announced a new escalation of combat operations in Afghanistan. Since that time we have seen an uptick in footage coming out of the country. We have seen precision airstrikes targeting opium production facilities and now we are finally getting some perspective from the US Special Operations Forces ground troops. While the number of troops operating in theater has increased, it is nothing compared to the tens of thousands of troops seen during the surge. The use of smaller groups of irregular troops has been the preferred method in recent years, as it allows the Pentagon to operate in secrecy, under the radar of the media, just so long as we don’t lose American troops.

The footage is an instant classic, reminiscent of yesteryear’s grunts dubbing their own style of music over video clips of gunfights that likely happened in the very same mountain valleys over a decade ago.