September 2012 raid on Camp Bastion
| September 2012 raid on Camp Bastion | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) | |||||
Marines from VMA-211 at Camp Bastion, two weeks before the attack. | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
| Taliban | |||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
|
MG. Charles Gurganus MG. Gregg Sturdevant Lt. Col Christopher Raible † Sqn Ldr. Kev McMurdo Capt. Jeff Portlock SGT. Roy Geddes (WIA) | Unknown | ||||
| Units involved | |||||
|
American: MALS-16 (FWD) MWSS-273 MWSS-373 VMM-161 HMH-361 VMA-211 HMLA-469 British: No. 51 Squadron RAF Regiment Tonga: Tongan contingent | Unknown | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| Several hundred with Anglo-American air support | 15 fighters | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
|
2 killed 17 wounded 9 aircraft destroyed or severely damaged |
14 killed 1 captured | ||||
The September 2012 raid on Camp Bastion was a Taliban raid on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province on the night of 14 September 2012. The base hosted British, American, Danish and Tongan military personnel at the time of the attack. The Taliban fighters killed two U.S. Marines and destroyed or severely damaged eight U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and a United States Air Force C-130 before the entire raiding force was killed or captured. The Taliban claimed that the raid was in response to the film, Innocence of Muslims, and have also stated that Prince Harry, who was stationed at the base at the time, was the target of the attack. To replace the aircraft lost in the attack, the USMC deployed 14 Harriers to Afghanistan 36 hours after the raid.