Operation Harpoon (2002)

Operation Harpoon was a military operation conducted by the United States military in Afghanistan in 2002. It took place in the Shah-i-Kot Valley in eastern Afghanistan, specifically Paktia Province, in March of that year. The operation was a joint effort involving U.S. Army units, particularly the 101st Airborne Division and Task Force Rakkasan, along with special operations forces, and Afghan militia fighters. Its objective was to locate and destroy remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters who had fled to the region following the initial U.S. invasion in 2001.

The operation involved air assaults and ground operations to clear the valley. It encountered significant resistance from entrenched enemy forces, leading to intense fighting. Although U.S. forces achieved their objective of disrupting enemy operations in the Shah-i-Kot Valley, it also resulted in casualties and raised questions regarding intelligence gathering and the overall strategic impact of the operation. The operation's effectiveness and the number of enemy fighters killed remain subjects of debate.