Operation Red Dagger

Operation Sond Chara (Red Dagger in Pashto) was an 18-day-long campaign with its aims and objectives centred around four Taliban strongholds near the town of Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The operation was named after the commando patch worn by members of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. 1,500 British troops were involved, supported by Danish, Estonian and Afghan forces in the pre-Christmas offensive, commencing on 7 December 2008 with a night attack on Taliban defences in a village south of the operational area. The offensive was aimed to make safe the area around the capital of Helmand, Lashkar Gah, after an increase of insurgent attacks in the province, for example, the 300 man Taliban attempt to overrun Lashkar Gah....