The Battle of Sabzak was an engagement between Spanish and Italian forces of NATO's

International Security Assistance Force ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , command ...

(ISAF) and

Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...

insurgents supported by militant Tajik tribals. The action took place from 3 to 4 September 2009 on Sabzak pass, in the province of

Badghis Bādghīs ( Dari: ) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northwest of the country, on the border with Turkmenistan. It is considered to be one of the country's most underdeveloped provinces, with the highest povert ...

, during the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...

. NATO sent Spanish troops to place a patrol on the pass, the only road supplying Qal'eh-ye and

Herat Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safē ...

after numerous attacks on military convoys throughout the summer and after the collapse of the Taliban's control on the area. Taliban mullah Jamuladdin Mansoor, allied with Tajik tribals on both sides of the road tried to prevent passage with the help of Tajik warlord Ishan Khan. The Spanish forces took control of the road on Monday 31 July. The insurgents, after reorganizing themselves, ambushed the ISAF detachment on 3 September, resulting in two Spanish soldiers injured. The next day, a convoy of 30 vehicles and 100 Spaniard soldiers oversaw the meeting between another convoy and the Afghan police for protection, but it was ambushed from four points in a planned operation. The troops returned fire, calling in aerial support. Two Italian Mangusta helicopters were brought in and opened fire on Taliban positions, but aerial bombardment by fixed wing aircraft was ruled out due to the proximity of a civilian settlement. After six hours of fighting, the Taliban and their allies withdrew to the village of Marghozar. Sergeant José Enrique Serrano, commander of the Spanish company that defended the pass on 3 September, and a soldier who received a minor scratch on his face form a ricocheting bullet, were the only ISAF members wounded in the battle, while two vehicles were rendered unusable. 13 insurgents were eventually killed, and 3 were injured.

References

{{War in Afghanistan History of Badghis Province 2009 in Spain Sabzak Taliban attacks Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Spain Sabzak Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Italy