Sangin, Afghanistan - 2011 Battle Map

Sangin, Afghanistan – 2011 Battle Map

Examine modern counterinsurgency warfare through this detailed operational map documenting U.S. Marine Corps operations in Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan during 2011. This combat-era map records the tactical situation faced by 1st Battalion, 5th Marines during one of the most contested deployments of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Historical Context In 2011, Sangin District was one of the most violent areas in Afghanistan, shaped by Taliban control, extensive IED networks, and critical narcotics trafficking routes along the Helmand River. Coalition forces had struggled for years to establish lasting security in the district, making Sangin a focal point of U.S. Marine Corps counterinsurgency operations.

1st Battalion, 5th Marines deployed to Sangin as part of Operation Enduring Freedom 11.1, tasked with clearing insurgent strongholds, securing population centers, and disrupting enemy movement throughout the Green Zone and surrounding villages.

The Map’s Features This operational combat map presents the Sangin battlespace in exceptional detail, showing the battalion’s area of operations, task organization, patrol bases, checkpoints, and key terrain features. Tactical annotations identify named operations conducted throughout the deployment, including Operation Red Cloud, Operation Red Cloud II, and Operation Steel Snare. Engagement locations are marked alongside patrol routes, checkpoints, and control boundaries, illustrating how Marine units expanded security and restricted insurgent movement across the district.

Inset maps provide regional context within Helmand Province and Afghanistan, while symbols and annotations document changes in control and the progression of operations over time.

Historical Significance The Sangin deployment became emblematic of the intensity and complexity of modern counterinsurgency warfare. Operations were conducted in close proximity to civilian populations, under constant threat from hidden explosives and ambushes. This map preserves the operational reality of that environment, offering a rare visual record of how modern military units planned, executed, and tracked combat operations in real time.

Museum-Quality Reproduction This is a high-quality reproduction of an original 2011 combat operations map, professionally printed using museum-grade methods and materials to preserve every detail of this authentic battlefield document. Each piece is produced on archival Hahnemühle paper using the Giclée printing process, ensuring exceptional clarity, durability, and a refined finish suitable for display.

Perfect For Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom; Marines who served in Helmand Province; modern military history collectors; students of counterinsurgency and contemporary warfare; educational displays on 21st-century combat operations; offices, libraries, and study spaces.

Specifications

• Original Creation: 2011

• Unit: 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (“Geronimo”), OEF 11.1

• Location: Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

• Style: Modern combat operations map with tactical annotations

• Features: Task organization, patrol bases, checkpoints, engagement locations, operation timelines

• Product Type: High-Quality Reproduction Print

• Dimensions (Width x Height): 20 × 20.1

Each map is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your map will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclée printing method on Hahnemühle paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable map perfect for proud display in your home or office.

Digital watermark does not appear on your purchased map.