Battle of Shewan The Battle of Shewan was a military engagement between Coalition forces and Taliban insurgents that took place on August 8 , 2008 , near the village of Shewan in Farah Province , Afghanistan . On the 8th of August 2008 , Golf Company , 2nd platoon , 2nd Battalion 7th Marines , elements from 1st Reconnaissance Battalion , were ambushed by approximately 250 - 350 Taliban fighters armed with small arms , rocket - propelled grenade s ( RPG ) , and 82 mm mortars . After fifteen hours of heavy combat the Marines prevailed , killing the majority of the Taliban and causing those that remained to flee . Planning . The assault on Shewan had been in the planning for weeks by leaders in 2nd platoon and the reconnaissance unit attached to them . It was delayed on the 6th , and set as a go on the 7th . The Marines departed in early hours of the morning on the 8th in two different sections , the Recon Marines heading down Route 517 , and 2nd Platoon around Saffarak Mountain . The battle . Golf 2 circled around Saffarak Mountain and set up a blocking position from the North , while Recon traveled up Highway 517 directly into Shewan and then dismount and enter the city on foot . Golf 2 set up to the north of the city with the 81 mm mortar team to provide support for Recon , and it served as a QRF . Golf 2 was getting reports by the ANP that there was movement to their north , and many policemen began firing nervously into the trees in front of them . 1st Recon began taking heavy small arms and RPG fire on the outskirts of Shewan from fortified trench lines and bunkers around the city . Their vehicles were targeted by a volley of RPG ' s , and a Humvee was disabled and caught fire . The crew suffered minor shrapnel wounds and the other Marines quickly returned fire and rushed to help the wounded , retrieving them from the vehicle . 2nd Platoon mounted back up in their trucks and rushed through the country side to aid recon . Taking cover in trenches and in their bullet riddled vehicles , the Recon Marines took heavy machine gun and RPG fire . By this time , there were hundreds of Taliban running through the buildings and in and out of the trees . Over a period of five to ten minutes at least fifteen RPG ' s were fired from the treeline as Recon awaited Golf 2 ' s arrival . 2nd Platoon pulled out onto the 517 and headed east at full speed . They could see the smoke billowing from the burning Humvee . The convoy pulled off the road on line and sped towards the berm that ran parallel to the city , firing their crew served weapons into the Taliban positions . At this time , Taliban 82mm mortar rounds began falling on the marines as they moved towards the city . They halted behind the berm and dismounted , continuing to return fire into the city . The 2nd Platoon immediately attacked the Taliban positions and engaged in trench clearing and close combat . Despite the pressure on the Taliban positions , the Taliban RPG and machine gun fire only intensified . It was estimated by the end of the fight that over a hundred RPG ' s were fired at the Marines . By this time the attached 81 mm mortar crew began firing volleys into the trenchlines from targets called in by their Forward Observer . The mortars succeeded in suppressing the Taliban and fixing them until air support came on station . F - 18 s strafed the Taliban positions with their cannons , and then dropped a series of 2000 lb bombs . Despite numerous airstrikes , the Taliban continued to fight , utilizing their fortified positions to shield them from the airstrikes . They continued to fire mortar and RPG at the marines . Three more airstrikes were dropped into the city , yet the Taliban continued to fight . Several hours into the fight , convoys of vehicles carrying an estimated 100 Taliban reinforcements with weapons and supplies arrived in the city . The Marines engaged the vehicles and their occupants , and another volley of mortars and airstrikes were executed . The Taliban ' s casualties were becoming too heavy to sustain , and they began to retreat into the buildings to hide from the fire of the Marines . More air attacks commenced on the buildings , though the enemy fire was beginning to whither . The Marines were now only receiving sporadic mortar fire . A Taliban mortar team operating in the mountains was spotted and an 81 mm mortar strike was called onto their position , killing them . The Marines fell back and set up a perimeter around the buildings , cutting off the Taliban completely , and continued to engage Taliban fighters with their crew served weapons . Another bombing run destroyed the damaged Humvee while Marines prepared to disengage . During the lull in the fighting , remaining Taliban fighters attempted to flee into the mountains , and 2nd Platoon cut them down before they were able to reach the safety of the rocks . The battle was the longest of 2nd Battalion , 7th Marines deployment , lasting over 16 hours . No Marines were killed and an estimated 150 Taliban were killed .