Red Unit

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Red Unit
سره کیتا
Active2016–present
CountryAfghanistan
Allegiance Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
BranchIslamic Emirate Army
TypeSpecial operations forces[1]
Shock troops[2]
Commandos[3]
RoleClose-quarters combat
Desert warfare
Direct action
Guerrilla warfare
Mountain warfare
Raiding
Special operations
Size300 (2016 estimate)[4]
Commanders
Current
commander		Hibatullah Akhundzada (Supreme Commander of Taliban)
Notable
commanders
  • Haji Nasarv
  • Mullah Taqi
  • Mullah Shah Wali[5]

The Red Unit (Pashto: سره کیتا, romanized: Sara kheta; Urdu: سرخ یونٹ), also known as the Blood Unit, Red Group, Danger Group, or Taliban Special Forces Unit,[3][5] is an elite military unit of the Islamic Emirate Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, described in some accounts as special operations forces or shock troops.

History[]

The Red Unit saw its first operational deployment in Sangin in early 2016.[4] In the summer of that year a Taliban spokesperson reported to media that the Red Unit was producing consistently "good" results in actions against the Afghan National Army and discussions were underway about utilizing it for increased operational deployments.[4] The assessment of the unit's potency was echoed by provincial officials in Helmand who described the outfit as "very dangerous and very successful".[4] In the subsequent time, the Red Unit began operating all around Afghanistan and used by the insurgents for the most important as well as dangerous missions.[2]

In July 2018, the Red Unit played an important part in the Battle of Darzab, which resulted in a major Taliban victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province.[6] By late 2018, the unit was known to be most active in Kunduz Province, Baghlan Province, and Faryab Province, aiding in a number of major Taliban advances in these areas.[7]

The Red Unit was involved in the 2021 Taliban offensive, assisting in capturing Kunduz from Afghan government forces[8] and taking part in the Battle of Lashkargah during which one of its commanders, Mawlawi Mubarak, was killed by an airstrike.[9]

Tactics, equipment, and membership[]

The Red Unit, which numbered approximately 300 by 2016, reportedly employs commando tactics and is equipped with "advanced weaponry", including night vision equipment, heavy machine guns and M4 carbines.[10][11] Members have been seen during photo ops to be carrying Icom IC-V8 VHF radios.[12] They are known to be especially proficient in night combat, and considered to be better trained and equipped than most Afghan National Army soldiers.[7]

Though generally called the Taliban's special forces[1] or commandos,[3] analysts have argued that the Red Unit was probably not performing traditional special operations missions, but were, instead, being used as shock troops or a rapid deployment force.[2][8][13] Moving on motorcycles, the unit often raids isolated outposts, destroying the local defences, and then retreating before other forces can respond.[7] The Red Unit often spearheads Taliban offensives,[14] as it has proven to be very effective in combat. Nevertheless, its equipment and training are inferior to those of Western special forces.[2] By 2021, the unit was among the most elite Taliban units, alongside the Badri 313 Battalion.[3]

Its members differ in various regards from regular Taliban troops. Unlike other Taliban, they are not loyal to various clans or villages, but to the movement itself.[14] By 2020, one of the unit's training camps was the so-called "Tariq bin Ziad Military Corps", located in the mountains of Paktika Province.[2]

Leadership[]

The first known commander of the unit was Haji Nasarv according to a 2016 report by the Military Times.[4] In 2017 the BBC reported the Red Unit commander was Mullah Taqi.[10] The Afghan National Directorate of Security reported that Mullah Taqi was killed by NATO forces in late November 2017.[15] He was succeeded by Mullah Shah Wali (alias "Haji Nasir"), who was killed in December 2017. An advisor to Mullah Shah Wali, the German mujahid Abdul Wadood, was captured by the Afghan military in March 2018.[5] By 2020, one of the unit's main trainers was Ammar Ibn Yasser who was described as "the Mujahideen of Mujahideen" by Taliban media.[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Snow, Shawn (12 August 2016). "Red Group: The Taliban's New Commando Force". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bill Roggio (8 April 2020). "Taliban touts more elite 'Red Unit' fighter training on social media". Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Roggio, Bill; Joscelyn, Thomas (22 August 2021). "Taliban's special forces outfit providing 'security' at Kabul airport". Long War Journal. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kahn, Mirwais (7 August 2017). "Taliban's new commando force tests Afghan army's strength". Military Times. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Bill Roggio (6 March 2018). "German captured while fighting with Taliban's Red Unit". Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ^ Bill Roggio (1 August 2018). "Taliban says Islamic State has been 'completely defeated' in Jawzjan". Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  7. ^ a b c Seliger (2018), pp. 10–13.
  8. ^ a b Roggio, Bill (8 August 2021). "Taliban takes control of Afghan provincial capitals of Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul and Taloqan". FDD's Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Key Taliban commander among 40 dead in Afghanistan". lokmat. 6 August 2021. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Taliban territory: Life in Afghanistan under the militants". BBC News. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Taliban 'special forces' lead Helmand assault: Afghan officials". Reuters. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  12. ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Abed, Fahim; Huylebroek, Jim (28 January 2021). "In Afghanistan, Follow the White High-Tops and You'll Find the Taliban". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  13. ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (15 August 2016). "These are the elite Taliban forces fighting for a province once held by U.S. troops". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  14. ^ a b Seliger (2018), p. 13.
  15. ^ "Command of Taliban 'special forces' killed in Afghanistan". Reuters. 3 December 2017. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.

Work cited[]

  • Seliger, Marco (November 2018). "Krieg ohne Ende" [War without end]. Loyal (de) (in German). Bonn: Verband der Reservisten der Deutschen Bundeswehr (de). pp. 8–21.
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