At 01:00, they decided to engage the group with the SEAL reserves. Originally just two people, the group eventually swelled to a total of nine or ten fighters, and the special operations task force commander and the Immediate Reaction Force commander became concerned that it might include Tahir.

Separately, ISR aircraft continued to observe the unengaged group from the compound. At 23:30, one of the Apache support helicopters engaged in a brief skirmish with a different group of eight Taliban fighters 400В m (440В yd) north of the compound, killing six. This group grew in number over the course of the night, but American forces were at first too preoccupied to engage. ДЄs the Rangers approached the target compound, ISR aircraft observed several people leaving the compound. Navy SEALs remained in reserve at the forward operating base. The mission was deemed high risk two AH-64 Apache helicopters, an AC-130 gunship, and other additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft supported the troop transports on their approach and remained with the ground forces afterwards. After a 20-minute flight (around 23:00), the two Chinook helicopters landed near the compound ostensibly containing Tahir, offloaded the Ranger platoon and returned to base. Army Rangers left at forward operating base in Logar Province via two CH-47D transport helicopters, one of which would later be involved in the accident. At 22:37 (local time) on the night of 5 August, a platoon of 47 U.S. Timeline ДЄfter American intelligence services discovered in 2011 that senior Taliban leader Qari Tahir was possibly in Tangi Valley, Wardak province, Afghanistan, local American forces launched a mission to apprehend or kill him.

For example, on 8 June 2011 a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter was engaged from five to six locations (i.e., points of origin) with 14 rocket-propelled grenades, forcing the crew to abort the mission. However, the Afghan government forces did not occupy the base, which was seized by the Taliban shortly after the departure of American forces.ДЄmerican forces continued to carry out operations in the area (mostly via helicopter and using special forces), encountering resistance from Taliban fighters on several occasions. In April 2011, American forces turned over control of Combat Outpost Tangi to Afghan government forces. American, French and Afghan National Police forces carried out a three-day sweep of the area, and the area was then deemed secure.

10th Mountain Division established a base in Tangi Valley after increased Taliban activity in the area. At 30 American military personnel killed, the shootdown of Extortion 17 represents the greatest single-incident loss of American lives in Operation Enduring Freedom вЂ“ Afghanistan, surpassing the 16 lost in the downing of Turbine 33, a 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) MH-47 helicopter, during Operation Red Wings on 28 June 2005. The resulting crash killed all 38 people on board including 17 US Navy SEALs, two United States Air Force Pararescue, one United States Air Force Combat Control Team member, one pilot and two crewmen of the United States Army Reserve, one pilot and one crewman of the United States Army National Guard, seven members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan interpreter, as well as a U.S. CH-47D Chinook military helicopter operating with the call sign Extortion 17 (pronounced 'one-seven') was shot down while transporting a Quick Reaction Force attempting to reinforce a Joint Special Operations Command unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Tangi Valley in Maidan Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. A Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter in Bagram, Afghanistan, similar to the one that was shot down

Extortion 17 cover up