The Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay was a battle set near the Arghandab River

Arghandab River

Arghandab is a river in Afghanistan, about in length. It rises in the Hazarajat country north-west of Ghazni, and flows south-west falls into the Helmand below Girishk. In its lower course it is much used for irrigation, and the valley is cultivated and populous; yet the water is said to be...

 in Afghanistan in the War on Terror

War on Terror

The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...

. The US and Afghans won against the Taliban insurgents and invaded Kandahar

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

, a vital Taliban spiritual center.

Battle

The day following previous combat at the Battle of Shawali Kowt

Battle of Shawali Kowt

The Battle of Shawali Kowt took place near the Arghandab River in Afghanistan during the Invasion of Afghanistan. On December 2, 2001, after a pitched street-by-street battle, the Green Berets and Afghan Freedom Fighters captured the town of Shawali Kowt, but could not gain control over a vital...

, as the Afghans scaled to the top of a ridge overlooking the Taliban-controlled town of Sayyd Alma Kalay, they were hit by machine gun fire and RPGs. The Afghans began retreating, so Captain Jason Amerine

Jason Amerine

Jason Amerine is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Special Forces. He served in the Invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, in which he aided tribal leader Hamid Karzai in fighting a guerilla war against the Taliban. For bravery in the invasion, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the...

 and his men charged up the hill and fired down on the enemy. The Americans' actions spurred the Afghans to rejoin the fight. Despite being exposed to intense fire, Sgt. Alan Yoshida, the air-combat controller, advanced toward the hilltop and directed airstrikes that wiped out three Taliban positions. Amerine's team finally drove off the Taliban and took control of the town and bridge while Hamid Karzai

Hamid Karzai

Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...

's men held the ridge. As combat eased, the leaders from the army's Third Battalion headquarters arrived by helicopter on 5 December to give Amerine and his men a break. For the first time in weeks, they received care packages and letters from home. After this the Taliban planned to formally surrender Kandahar Province

Kandahar Province

Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...

.