Helmund Province

2007 was very similar to 2006 with many NATO missions designed to route out the Taliban. They included Operation Volcano, Operation Achilles, Operation Lastay Kulang. In March 2007 Marines killed 12 civilians and injured an additional 33 after a bomb attack. That incident became known as the Shinwar Massacre and the Marine unit was ordered out of the country. In March the Bush administration ordered an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan. Coalition forces scored victories at the Battle of Chora, and the Battle of Musa Qala. None of this stopped the attacks that took 100 American lives in 2007.