Anarchangel: WP Start

2011-03-10T08:37:43Z

WP Start

New page

'''Task Force 373''' is a secret joint military infiltration unit active in the [[Wikipedia:War in Afghanistan (2001â€“present)|War in Afghanistan]].

The unit became prominent when the [[Wikipedia:clandestine operation |clandestine operations]] of the unit were brought into the public domain by the release of the [[Afghan War Diary]] [[Wikipedia:Afghan War Diary|(WP)]] on [[Wikileaks]] [[Wikipedia:Wikileaks|(WP)]] on 25 July 2010<ref name=guardian>{{cite news | first=Nick | last=Davies | authorlink=Nick Davies | title=Afghanistan war logs: Task Force 373 â€“ special forces hunting top Taliban | newspaper=[[Wikipedia:The Guardian]] | date=|25 July}} 2010 | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/25/task-force-373-secret-afghanistan-taliban | accessdate=|27 July}} 2010}}</ref>.

It has been claimed that the unit is stationed at [[Wikipedia:Camp Marmal]], the [[Germany|German]] [[Wikipedia:Germany|WP]] field base in [[Wikipedia:Mazar-e-Sharif]].<ref name=spiegel>{{cite news | first1=Matthias | last1=Gebauer | first2=John | last2=Goetz | first3=Hans | last3=Hoyng | first4=Susanne | last4=Koelbl | first5=Marcel | last5=Rosenbach | first6=Gregor Peter | last6=Schmitz | title=US Elite Unit Could Create Political Fallout for Berlin | newspaper=[[Wikipedia:Der Spiegel]] | date=|26 July}} 2010 | url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708314,00.html | accessdate=|27 July}} 2010}}</ref>

The leaked information shows that Task Force 373 uses at least three bases in [[Afghanistan]] [[Wikipedia:Afghanistan|(WP)]], in [[Wikipedia:Kabul|Kabul]], [[Wikipedia:Kandahar|Kandahar]] and [[Wikipedia:Khost|Khost]]. Although it works alongside [[Wikipedia:special forces|special forces]] from Afghanistan and other coalition nations, it appears to be drawing its troops primarily from the U.S. [[Wikipedia:Special Forces|Special Forces]], among others the [[Wikipedia:7th Special Forces Group (United States)|7th Special Forces Group]], [[Wikipedia:160th SOAR|160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]], Navy [[Wikipedia:navy SEAL|Navy SEAL]]s, & [[Wikipedia:MARSOC|United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command]] Marines. It is loosely based on the [[Wikipedia:JSOC|Joint Special Operations Command]] (JSOC) task forces such as [[Wikipedia:Task Force 121|Task Force 121]], [[Wikipedia:Task Force 145|Task Force 145]], [[Wikipedia:Task Force 20|Task Force 20]], [[Wikipedia:Task Force 6-26|Task Force 6-26]], and [[Wikipedia:Task Force 88|Task Force 88]].<ref>'Afghanistan war logs: Task Force 373 â€“ special forces hunting top Taliban' http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2010/07/25/afghanistan-war-logs-task-force-373-special-forces-hunting-top-taliban.html</ref>
[[File:Camp marmal02.JPG|thumb|Camp Marmal near [[Mazar-e-Sharif]], Afghanistan. Note the internal lines of [[Wikipedia:gabions|gabions]] to reduce and compartmentalize [[Wikipedia:mortar (weapon)|mortar]] effects]]

==Operations==
It has been reported that this unit's mission is to "deactivate" [[Wikipedia:List of Taliban leaders|suspected senior Taliban]], by either killing or capturing them.<ref name=spiegel /> During certain missions prisoners have been taken, information contained in [[Afghan War Diary|The War Logs]] [[Wikipedia:Afghan War Diary|(WP)]] includes at least 62 instances of detainee transfers where the source of the detainee is stated as being "TF 373".

In an article datelined 25 July 2010, the online [[Wikipedia:guardian.co.uk|guardian.co.uk]] news daily reported that "In many cases, the unit has set out to seize a target for internment, but in others it has simply killed them without attempting to capture. The logs reveal that TF 373 has also killed civilian men, women and children and even [[Wikipedia:Afghan police|Afghan police]] officers who have strayed into its path." <ref name=CNN>{{cite news | first1=Ashley | last1=Fantz | first2=Tim | last2=Lister | title=WikiLeaks shines spotlight on mysterious Task Force 373 | newspaper=[[Wikipedia:CNN]] | date=|26 July}} 2010 | url=http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/wikileaks-shines-spotlight-on-mysterious-task-force-373/ | accessdate=|22 February}} 2011}} </ref> The newspaper report also stated that "Details of more than 2,000 senior figures from the Taliban and al-Qaida are held on a "kill or capture" list, known as [[Wikipedia:JPEL]], the joint prioritised/zed effects list."<ref name=guardian /> Secrecy of operations is a major concern of TF 373 and often operations are not discussed even after the fact with coalition allies such as the [[Wikipedia:ISAF|International Security Assistance Force]]. Allegations of extrajudicial killing have raised questions about the legality of the operations.<ref name=guardian />

[[Wikipedia:NYT|The New York Times]] confirmed the existence of TF 373 and its work in connection with a kill or capture list but gave a lower number, "about 70," for the number of targets on the list.

Salon.com reported TF 373 were in 200 incidents listed in the War Diaries; assassinations were carried out without sufficient provisions to prevent the killing of civilians, and in one incident, seven children were killed along with the target, in another; seven [[Wikipedia:Afghan National Police|Afghan National Police]].<ref>[http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/07/27/us_military_strikes_wikileaks Hit list draws fire in wake of leaked US documents]-Elite special-ops unit Task Force 373, with its killing of children, at the center of controversy Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press, Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010</ref>

== WikiLeaks reporting ==
News agencies reporting on the WikiLeaks newsflash made sure to attempt to cover for their preferred US administration leader or slam the other. The New York Times noted that Obama was commander-in-chief while the group was doing its work: "These missions, which have been stepped up under the [[Wikipedia:Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]], claim notable successes, but have sometimes gone wrong, killing civilians and stoking Afghan resentment."<ref>{{cite news | title=View Is Bleaker Than Official Portrayal of War in Afghanistan | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26warlogs.html?_r=2 | newspaper=[[Wikipedia:The New York Times]] | date=|25 July}} 2010 | accessdate=|27 July}} 2010 | author= [[Wikipedia:C. J. Chivers]], [[Wikipedia:Carlotta Gall]], Andrew W. Lehren, [[Wikipedia:Mark Mazzetti]], [[Wikipedia:Jane Perlez]], and [[Wikipedia:Eric Schmitt]], Jacob Harris, Alan McLean}}</ref> Boston.com, via White House national security adviser Gen. Jim Jones, or vice versa, preferred to note a different part of the timeline: "he (the General) took pains to point out that the documents describe a period from January 2004 to December 2009, mostly during the administration of President George W. Bush. Jones noted that time period was before President Obama announced a new strategy."<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/07/26/wikileaks_says_no_doubt_on_documents_reliability/ WikiLeaks: More US documents coming on Afghan war] Boston.com</ref>

{{Wikipedia}}
== Raymond Allen Davis incident ==
{{main|Raymond Allen Davis incident}}

On February 20th a Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) report has referred to Pakistan's ISI stating that top-secret CIA documents found in Davis's possession point to him and/or Task Force 373 providing al Qaeda terrorists with "nuclear fissile material" and "biological agents".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britainnews.net/story/746756/ht/CIA-spy-Davis-was-giving-nuclear-bomb-material-to-Al-Qaeda-says-report |title="CIA spy" Davis was giving nuclear bomb material to Al-Qaeda, says report |publisher=Britain News.Net |date=20 February 2011 |accessdate=2011-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/cia-spy-davis-giving-nuclear-bomb-material-al-20110219-224833-452.html |title=US 'diplomat' arrested in Pakistan linked to CIA |publisher=Yahoo News |date=2011-02-20 |accessdate=2011-02-21}}</ref>

According to the report, the combat skills exhibited by Davis, along with documentation taken from him after his arrest, prove that he is a member of the US TF373 black operations unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyindia.com/show/425735.php |title=â€œCIA spyâ€ Davis was giving nuclear bomb material to Al-Qaeda, says report |publisher=Daily India |date=2011-02-20 |accessdate=2011-02-21}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708314-2,00.html Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It]
* [http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708559,00.html War Logs Cast Light on Dirty Side of Afghanistan Conflict]
* [http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/international-news/12245-task-force-373-the-secret-killers.html Task Force 373, the secret killers]

[[Category:Special Operations Forces of the United States]][[Category:War in Afghanistan (2001â€“present)]][[Category:Extrajudicial killings]][[Category:Afghan Civil War]][[Category:Taliban]][[Category:Assassinations]]
[[da:Task Force 373]][[es:Task Force 373]][[no:Styrke 373]]

Task Force 373 - Revision history

Anarchangel: WP Start