The Taliban Attack On Camp Bastion Sends An Unmistakable Signal

09-17-2012 • http://www.businessinsider.com, Geoffrey Ingersoll

As many as 15 Taliban fighters, armed with small-arms, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests, breached the perimeter of an airfield at Camp Bastion in Helmand and engaged U.S. Marines and British forces in a "sustained fight."

The Taliban fighters were dressed in U.S. Army uniforms, and once they penetrated at one portion of the outer perimeter, broke into three separate teams to mount the assault.

In total, according to the ISAF press release:

"the insurgents attacked Coalition fixed and rotary wing aircraft parked on the flight line, aircraft hangars and other buildings. Six Coalition AV-8B Harrier jets were destroyed and two were significantly damaged. Three Coalition refueling stations were also destroyed. Six soft-skin aircraft hangars were damaged to some degree."

In the words of the ISAF press release, the fighters were "well equipped, trained, and rehearsed."