View source for Task Force 373

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
'''Task Force 373''' (TF373) is a joint military [[commando]] unit that was active in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]].
The unit became prominent when the [[clandestine operation]]s of the unit were brought to public attention by the release of the [[Afghan War Diary]] on [[WikiLeaks]] on {{Nowrap|25 July}} 2010.<ref name=guardian>{{cite news |first=Nick |last=Davies |authorlink=Nick Davies |title=Afghanistan war logs: Task Force 373 – special forces hunting top Taliban |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 July 2010 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jul/25/task-force-373-secret-afghanistan-taliban |accessdate=27 July 2010}}</ref> It has been claimed that the unit was stationed at [[Camp Marmal]], the German field base in [[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=[[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 used at least three bases in [[Afghanistan]], in [[Kabul]], [[Kandahar]], and [[Khost]]. Although it worked alongside [[special forces]] from Afghanistan and other coalition nations, it appeared to draw its troops primarily from U.S. Special Operations forces, among others the [[7th Special Forces Group (United States)|7th Special Forces Group]], [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th SOAR]], Navy [[navy SEAL|SEALs]], and [[MARSOC]] Marines. It is loosely based on the [[Joint Special Operations Command|JSOC]] task forces such as [[Task Force 121]], [[Task Force 145]], [[Task Force 20]], [[Task Force 6-26]], and [[Task Force 88 (anti-terrorist unit)|Task Force 88]].<ref>[http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2010/07/25/afghanistan-war-logs-task-force-373-special-forces-hunting-top-taliban.html Afghanistan war logs: Task Force 373 – special forces hunting top Taliban]</ref>
==Operations==
It has been reported that the unit's mission was to "deactivate" [[List of Taliban leaders|suspected senior Taliban]], by either killing or capturing them.<ref name=spiegel /> During missions prisoners have been taken. Information contained in [[Afghan War Diary|The War Logs]] includes at least 62 instances of detainee transfers where the source of the detainee is stated as being "TF373".
In an article datelined 25 July 2010, ''[[The Guardian]]'' 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 [[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 |publisher=CNN |date=26 July 2010 |url=http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/wikileaks-shines-spotlight-on-mysterious-task-force-373/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727084845/http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/wikileaks-shines-spotlight-on-mysterious-task-force-373/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 July 2010 |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 named on a 'kill or capture' list, known as [[Joint Prioritized Effects List|JPEL]]."<ref name=guardian /> Secrecy is a major concern of TF373 and often operations are not discussed even after the fact with [[ISAF|coalition allies]]. Allegations of [[extrajudicial killing]] have raised questions about the legality of the operations.<ref name=guardian />
''[[The New York Times]]'' confirmed the existence of TF373 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. "These missions, which have been stepped up under the [[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=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26warlogs.html?_r=2 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=25 July 2010 |accessdate=27 July 2010 |author=[[C. J. Chivers]], [[Carlotta Gall]], Andrew W. Lehren, [[Mark Mazzetti]], [[Jane Perlez]], and [[Eric P. Schmitt|Eric Schmitt]], Jacob Harris, Alan McLean}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==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]
[[Category:Special forces task forces of the United States]]
[[Category:War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]
[[Category:Extrajudicial killings]]
[[Category:Afghanistan conflict (1978–present)]]
[[Category:Taliban]]
[[de:Veröffentlichung des Kriegstagebuchs des Afghanistan-Krieges durch WikiLeaks#Task Force 373]]