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{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Task Force K-Bar
| image = United States Navy SEALs 615.jpg
| image_size = 220px
| caption = Norwegian SOF from Task Force K-Bar in Afghanistan, 2002.
| dates = 10 October 2001<ref name="Neville27">Neville, Leigh, '' Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military)'', Osprey Publishing, 2015 {{ISBN|978-1472807908}}, p.27</ref> – April 2002
| countries = {{flag|United States}} {{flag|Norway}} {{flag|Canada}} {{flag|New Zealand}} {{flag|Germany}} {{flag|Denmark}} {{flag|Turkey}}
| branch =
| type = [[Special operations]]
| role =
| command_structure = [[Special Operations Command Central]]
| size = 2,800
| current_commander =
| garrison = Oman Southeastern Afghanistan
| ceremonial_chief =
| ceremonial_chief_label =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| nickname =
| motto =
| colors =
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
| identification_symbol_4 =
| identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]]
| anniversaries =
| decorations = [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]]
| notable_commanders = [[Robert Harward]]
}}

'''Task Force K-Bar''', originally the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-South (CJSOTF-South),<ref>Neville, Leigh, '' Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military)'', Osprey Publishing, 2015 {{ISBN|978-1472807908}}, p.25</ref> was led by the [[United States]] and composed of [[Special Forces|special operations forces]] from seven countries. It undertook the first major ground deployment in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]], operating from October 2001 to April 2002.<ref name="cbc">[[CBC News|CBC]], [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/cdnmilitary/jtf2.html JTF2: Canada’s super-secret commandos], July 15, 2005</ref>

==History==
Originally operating out of [[Oman]]'s [[Masirah Air Base]] before deploying themselves directly in southeastern Afghanistan, K-Bar was under the command of then-Captain [[Robert Harward]], a US [[Navy SEAL]].<ref name="seals">[http://www.navyseals.com/community/articles/article.cfm?id=4952 Presidential Unit Citation to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – South]</ref><ref name="navy">Perkins, Lt. John [http://www.navy.mil/search/print.asp?story_id=6321&VIRIN=&imagetype=0&page=1 TAR Officer Receives Bronze Star Medal For Actions In Afghanistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620124155/http://www.navy.mil/search/print.asp?story_id=6321&VIRIN=&imagetype=0&page=1 |date=2006-06-20 }}, March 17, 2003</ref> Harward was full of praise for the troops under his command, and later stated that the Canadian [[Joint Task Force 2]] team was his first choice for any [[direct action (military)|direct action]] mission.<ref name="star">{{cite news|author=Allan Woods Ottawa Bureau |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/800296--canada-s-elite-commandos-and-the-invasion-of-afghanistan?bn=1 |title=Canada's elite commandos and the invasion of Afghanistan |work=Thestar.com |date= April 25, 2010|accessdate=2011-06-07 |location=Toronto}}</ref>

Task Force K-Bar was part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF), under the overall command of General [[Tommy Franks]] at [[CENTCOM]]. TF K-Bar was given the responsibility of southern Afghanistan, was commanded by Navy SEAL Captain [[Robert Harward]], and formed around SEAL Teams 2, 3, and 8 and operators from 3rd Battalion, [[3rd Special Forces Group]]. The task force would primarily conduct [[special reconnaissance]] (SR) and [[Site Exploitation|sensitive site exploitation]] (SSE) missions – intelligence gathering at former enemy locations, some 3rd SFG ODAs were also given the [[foreign internal defense]] and [[unconventional warfare (United States)|unconventional warfare]] role.<ref name="Neville27"/>

In January 2002, another series of caves was discovered in Zawar Kili, just south of Tora Bora. Airstrikes hit the sites before SOF teams were inserted into the area. A SEAL platoon from SEAL Team 3, including several of their Desert Patrol Vehicles, accompanied by a German [[Kommando Spezialkräfte|KSK]] element and a Norwegian SOF team spent some nine days conducting extensive site exploitation, clearing an estimated 70 caves and 60 structures in the area, recovering a huge amount of both intelligence and munitions, but they did not encounter any al-Qaeda fighters. In March 2002, ODAs from 3rd SFG took part in [[Operation Anaconda]], teams from TF-K Bar and Task Force 64 (1 squadron [[Special Air Service Regiment|Australian SAS Regiment]]) were inserted into a valley in the area of operations and were tasked with establishing their observation posts which "had to be tenable, afford good reconnaissance and cover the identified escape routes or 'rat lines' into Pakistan" according to one of the US planners.<ref>Neville, Leigh, '' Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military)'', Osprey Publishing, 2015 {{ISBN|978-1472807908}}, p.49-50, p.54</ref>

In total, K-Bar ran 42 reconnaissance and surveillance missions and an unreported number of combat missions that resulted in the capture of 107 Afghans and the deaths of at least 115.<ref name="cbc"/>

In 2004, the units participating in Task Force K-Bar were each awarded the [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] by [[George W. Bush]] for their service in Afghanistan.<ref name="star" /> The Task Force was composed of U.S. Navy SEALs, [[Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen]], [[U.S. Army Special Forces]], [[United States Air Force Combat Control Team|U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers]], and coalition special operations forces from Canada, Norway, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, and Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=16216|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614021759/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=16216|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 14, 2012|title=Enduring Freedom Task Force Earns Presidential Unit Citation|first=Austin|last=Mansfield, Naval Special Warfare Command|work=navy.mil|accessdate=20 December 2016}}</ref> The task force comprised approximately 2,800 troops, 1,300 operating in Afghanistan and another 1,500 based throughout the theater of operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/operation-enduring-freedom-the-first-49-days-6/|title=Task Force K-Bar – Special Operations Forces and Operation Enduring Freedom. Operation Enduring Freedom: The First 49 Days – Part 6|last1=Zimmerman|first1=Dwight Jon|date=19 September 2011|website=Defense Media Network|publisher=|accessdate=4 September 2014}}</ref>

In a recent book released in [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] about the special forces of [[Norway]], US admiral Robert Harward praised the Norwegian contributions; ''" I can attest to the fact that the Norwegian special operators were absolutely critical to the success of our operations. They came to the fight with specialized skill sets for operating in mountain and arctic climates that enabled the survival and effectiveness of the entire coalition of special operators. Just as important, was the planning and staff experience the Norwegian SOF proved to the operational expertise of the entire Task Force effort. As a direct result of their partnership, our unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor the United States bestows on a military unit for which President George W. Bush personally delivered the award".'' <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.norli.no/krigere-og-diplomater-1|title = Krigere og diplomater}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.norli.no/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?urlRequestType=Base&catalogId=10051&categoryId=&productId=1085065&errorViewName=ProductDisplayErrorView&urlLangId=-101&langId=-101&top_category=&parent_category_rn=&storeId=10651|title=Krigere og diplomater - Norli|work=norli.no|accessdate=20 December 2016}}</ref>

==Member states==
*[[United States]]: [[Navy SEALs]] (Teams 2, 3, and 8), Air Force [[Combat Controllers]] and [[Pararescue]]men, and [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Green Berets]] from 1st Battalion [[3rd Special Forces Group (United States)|3rd SFG]];.<ref name="Neville27"/><ref name="news.navy.mil">{{cite web|url=http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16216|title=Enduring Freedom Task Force Earns Presidential Unit Citation|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225061852/http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=16216|archivedate=2008-12-25}}</ref>
*[[Norway]], ~70 [[Hærens Jegerkommando]] (HJK), [[Forsvarets Spesialkommando]] (FSK) and [[Marinejegerkommandoen]] (MJK);<ref name="citizen">Pugliese, David. [[Ottawa Citizen]], [http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2008/05/22/jtf2s-norwegian-comrades-in-action-in-afghanistan/ JTF2's Norwegian Comrades in Action in Afghanistan]</ref>
*[[Canada]]: ~40 [[Joint Task Force 2]];<ref name="cbc"/>
*[[Germany]]: ~100 [[Kommando Spezialkräfte]];{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}
*[[Turkey]]: ~1 [[Turkish Special Forces]] Intelligence Officer
*[[New Zealand]]: ~40 [[New Zealand Special Air Service]];<ref name="citizen"/>
*[[Denmark]]: ~100 [[Huntsmen Corps (Denmark)|Jægerkorpset]] and [[Danish Frogman Corps|Frømandskorpset]].<ref name="news.navy.mil"/>

==References==
{{commons}}
{{reflist|2}}

{{War in Afghanistan}}

[[Category:Ad hoc units and formations]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]

Task Force K-Bar - Revision history

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