Battle of Chora The Battle of Chora took place in and around the town of Chora ( 3 , 000 inhabitants ) , in Afghanistan ' s Orūzgān Province , during June 15 – 19 , 2007 . The fighting was between ISAF and Afghan forces on one side and Taliban forces on the other , for the control of the Chora District centre , regarded by the Taliban as a tactical target because it provides ground access from unsecured Gizab district in the north to the provincial capital of Tarin Kowt . According to some press reports , the fighting was the largest Taliban offensive of 2007 in Afghanistan , and resulted in the death of one American , one Australian , two Dutch and 16 Afghan soldiers , as well as approximately 58 civilians and an unknown number of Taliban . Prelude . Oruzgan province , along with neighboring Kandahar and Helmand provinces in southern Afghanistan , is part of the Taliban ' s traditional Pashtun tribal stronghold . In Oruzgan , NATO ' s ISAF mission took over authority for Afghanistan from the US - led coalition in August 2006 , resulting in 1 , 400 Dutch soldiers replacing some 150 US troops at the Provincial Reconstruction Team ( PRT ) in Oruzgan ' s provincial capital , Tarin Kowt , and other bases . In addition to co - located Afghan battalions , there was an Australian element under Dutch command and contributions from other NATO allies . Oruzgan is 2 / 3 the size of the Netherlands , but the Dutch presence has been challenged with providing security to areas it patrols regularly . When faced with the security challenge , the Dutch reverted to an " inkspot policy " whereby they focused their attention only on Oruzgan ' s three population centres , leaving other areas to Taliban control . Dutch activities included setting up checkpoints , some of which were near the town of Chora . At the time , there were 100 Afghan police in Chora . Dutch troops were working in Chora on projects such as a school , a mosque and a bridge , following up on civilian construction projects initiated by the US . 60 Dutch troops were deployed in Chora , led by Captain Larry Hamers of the Regiment Stoottroepen Prins Bernhard . Battle . June 15 . On Friday evening June 15 there was some shooting near Chora . In the morning of that day , a Dutch convoy in Tarin Kowt was attacked by a suicide bomber , killing a Dutch soldier , and several Afghan civilians . June 16 . A U . S . A - 10 Thunderbolt II spotted a group of 60 persons moving toward Chora . Dutch troops at Chora were informed , but the A - 10 did not engage the group , due to uncertainty over their identity and intentions . Shortly after , three Afghan police posts ( Kala Kala , Nyazi and Sarab ) , on the road linking Chora to Tarin Kowt came under coordinated attack by a large number of Taliban fighters ( the Dutch press claim " 800 " men , although this number seems impossibly large and cannot be verified ) . Dutch troops in Chora moved to support the Kala Kala and Nyazi Afghan police posts . The Taliban captured Sarab police post , killing two brothers of the commander of the post . They also cut off the hands of the wife of a captured policeman who was forced to watch her mutilation before being beheaded himself . That afternoon , the Dutch withdrew from the Kala Kala and Nyazi checkpoints , allowing the Taliban to capture these posts as well . The Dutch troops reassembled near the Chora district building and contacted their commander , Colonel Hans van Griensven in Kamp Holland near Tarin Kowt , for instructions . Griensven ordered them to stay and fight . ISAF aircraft provided support and attacked the Taliban , scouts reported that 30 Taliban volunteers led by individuals nicknamed Kaka and Sadam , were gathered inside a farm at the village of Qual Eh - Ye - Ragh . An Apache helicopter fired two Hellfire - missiles at the farm , killing the Bosnians and civilians inside . Rozi Khan , a local tribal militia leader with shifting loyalties ( who was himself killed during October 2008 fighting in the area ) , offered 150 - 200 of his fighters to support the defense of Chora . The Dutch and Chora village leaders accepted Khan ' s offer reluctantly as the village leaders had to arm Khan ' s fighters ( aware that Khan might later change sides again and turn the weapons on them ) . A group of Dutch and Australian troops at Kamp Holland near Tarin Kowt moved to Chora , commanded by LTC Rob Querido . The Australian troops deployed in Baluchi valley , between Tarin Kowt and Chora , to secure the key road . Also on Saturday June 16 US Staff Sergeant Roy P . Lewsader was killed when his vehicle was struck by a rocket - propelled grenade in Tarin Kowt . June 17 – 18 . On Sunday June 17 and Monday June 18 Dutch reinforcements arrived from Kamp Holland and a second Dutch base in Deh Rahwod , increasing the number of Dutch troops at Chora to 500 . 50 Afghan Army reinforcements also arrived in Chinook helicopters . Taliban fighters , who had gained control of most of the residential areas , forced civilians to fight with them or face execution . The Taliban also used civilian homes as shelter , but were still attacked by NATO aircraft , causing civilian casualties . As the fighting continued , many Taliban fighters were killed . At one time , six Dutch F - 16s were in the air , engaging ground targets assigned by the infantry . On the night of Sunday , June 17 to the morning of Monday , June 18 , during the loading of an 81 - mm mortar , which was deployed in the courtyard of the Chora district government building , a bomb exploded inside the launch tube , killing Dutch Sergeant - Major Jos Leunissen and wounding three other Dutch soldiers . June 19 . At 9 : 30 am , NATO briefly withdrew the aircraft supporting the fighting at Chora , but air support was restored at 9 : 40 when Col . Van Griensven reportedly threatened to withdraw the six Dutch F - 16s from NATO command . At 10 : 00 Dutch and Afghan troops , together with Rozi Khan ' s militia , made a push called " Operation Troy " , in which they recaptured the three lost checkpoints .