A team of U.S. special operations forces were evacuated from an area in southern Afghanistan Wednesday morning after spending the night in a compound surrounded by Taliban forces.
Fox News first reported the ongoing battle, which killed one American soldier and wounded two others, on Tuesday. Military Times reports the soldier’s body and the wounded personnel have been evacuated also. A U.S. team of quick responders remain on the ground in Marjah in Helmand province where they are guarding a helicopter that was damaged in yesterday’s actions.
According to the Pentagon, two HH-60 Pave Hawk medical evacuation helicopters were sent to the scene yesterday to remove the body and the wounded. One helicopter had to return after taking fire and another was damaged when its rotor blades hit a wall in the compound as it tried to land. The crew of the damaged Blackhawk has been airlifted out as well.
Overnight, the U.S. conducted 12 airstrikes in the area in support of the American and Afghan forces. The Department of Defense said the U.S. soldiers were advising and assisting Afghan forces when they encountered the Taliban fighters. A number of Afghan forces were injured as well, according to DOD spokesman Peter Cook.
