TASK FORCE BLACK

Following the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, 2003 it has been reported that an SAS Squadron has been assigned to a joint US/UK group of Special Operations units operating in the country, known previously as Task Force 145 (TF-145).

Elements of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), US 24th Special Tactics Squadron, the UK's 7 and 47 RAF Squadrons provide specialised air support for TF-88. CIA operatives alongside the UK's Joint Support Group and SRR are believed to be attached to the Task Force to provide intelligence support. 18 UKSF Signals and their US equivalents (Task Force Orange) provide secure comms and eavesdropping capabiltiies.

The primary role of TF-88 is to hunt down senior members of Al-Qaeda operating in Iraq. To this end, the Task Force has had several successes including the killing of Al-Zarqawi. Elements of the Task force have also been active in hunting down Al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan.

Task Force Black Operations

Whilst TF Black's primary remit is to cover the South of Iraq, with a particular focus on Basra, so far its higher profile operations have been in the Iraqi capital.

• Operation Marlborogh
  In July 2005 an SAS sniper team neutralized an insurgent suicide bomb squad before they could reach their targets in the city.
  
  
• In March 2006, in a bloodless operation, the SAS rescued British peace campaigner, Norman Kember, and 2 Canadians who had been kidnapped in Baghdad
  
  
• September 5th, 2007 - A 30-man SAS team assaulted a house that intel had pinpointed as the location of a senior Al-Qaeda figure. The mission was a success but sadly it costs the life of one of the SAS assaulters.

As with its other commitments such as counter-terrorism and training, the SAS rotates a Squadron into Task Force Black on a 6-monthly basis.