Task Force Black (later renamed to Task Force Knight) was a grouping of UKSF Units which was assigned to operate under the US Joint Special Operations Command’s (JSOC) command, shortly after the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Consisting of several British special forces units, Task Force Black operated extensively throughout both Iraq and Afghanistan with the majority of its operations taking place within Iraq. Its primary role was to hunt down senior al-Qaeda operatives as well as former members of Saddam Hussein’s government. Headquartered in Baghdad it was responsible for many kill/capture missions resulting in many former Saddam allies being taken into custody or eliminated.
1 History of Task Force Black/Knight
1.1 2004
During the early months of 2004, TF Black was formed. Based around a sabre squadron of the SAS with integrated units from the SBS, SRR, and 18 SR (Signals Regiment), they used their capabilities in reconnaissance and surveillance in order to gather intelligence for coalition forces and the allied intelligence services which were beginning to operate in the country.
During this early period, TF Black units almost captured/killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi when they assaulted his house in Baghdad.
The original TF Black operational procedure during this period was known as ‘find-fix-finish’.
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1.1.1 ‘find-fix-finish’
This operational procedure used by TF Black during this period involved several steps. However, it would be carried out backwards. Firstly the SAS teams would ‘finish’ which involved the raid to take down a suspect. ‘Fix’ involved narrowing down a time and place in which the target could be taken in. Finally, ‘find’ would be carried out next, this involved finding the insurgent/terrorist/target.
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1.2 2005
On April 11, 2005, the G squadron of Task Force Black, comprising members of the SAS, apprehended Fadhil Ibrahim al-Mashhadani. He was a former member of Saddam Hussein’s political party, following an operation at his residence.
Simultaneously, in a separate effort to locate the abductors of a foreign national, the SAS detained a former high-ranking official of the Ba’ath party along with another individual.
Although the hostage was not located, the detainees were confirmed to have ties to the kidnappers. They were subsequently released after it was disclosed by US intelligence that they were assets of the CIA.
In the spring of 2005, the British Director of Special Forces (DSF) undertook a reallocation of British special forces assignments. He designated the Special Boat Service (SBS) to oversee operations in Afghanistan, whilst the Special Air Service (SAS) was assigned to manage operations in Iraq.
Following a transition in the Director of Special Forces (DSF) and enhancements to the JSOC Temporary Screening Facility (TSF), Task Force Black commenced a closer integration with JSOC and its operations in late 2005.
By mid-January 2006, the British SAS initiated Operation Traction. This served as a covert upgrade and also an integration process into JSOC. This operation involved the deployment of the Task Group Headquarters Group (TGHG), comprising senior officers and other high-ranking SAS personnel, to the JSOC base located in Balad.
Task Force Black was renamed in September 2005 to Task Force Knight (more below).
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1.3 2006
In 2006, Task Force Black was involved in several operations (more below):
- Operation Lightwater
- Operation Larchwood 4
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1.4 2007
In 2007, as the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) initiated Counter Iranian Influence (CII) operations, the United Kingdom government mandated that Iranian nationals were to be excluded from the activities of Task Force Knight (formerly Task Force Black).
This prevented them from being targeted by specific intelligence-gathering efforts aimed at preparing them for potential military actions against Iran.
In the spring and summer of 2007, the British Special Air Service (SAS), operating under Task Force Knight, experienced significant casualties as several personnel sustained serious injuries while expanding their operations into Sadr City.
In April, Task Force Knight redirected its focus towards Arab Jabour, which intelligence gathered through human sources indicated was a stronghold for al-Qaeda.
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1.5 2008 & 2009
By March 2008, the Sunni insurgency was experiencing a significant decline, resulting in a reduced necessity for aggressive special operations raids.
Consequently, the B Squadron of the SAS expanded its operations into Tikrit and Anbar Province, focusing on lower-level targets that the Iraqi military was capable of managing. The UK Special Forces concluded their mission in Iraq in May 2009.
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2 Organisation of Task Force Black/Knight
2.1 Organisation of Task Force 145 (TF 145)
Task Force Black/Knight was one of the component forces which also comprised Task Force 145. This was one of the special operations capable task forces involved in the Iraq War.
Its organisation is as follows:
- Task Force 145
- TF Black/Knight – Headquartered in MSS Fernandez/’the Station’, Baghdad (SAS, SBS, SFSG, SRR, 18 Signals and MI6)
- TF North/Red – Headquartered in Tikrit (RRC)
- TF West/Blue – Headquartered at Al Asad Airbase (DEVGRU)
- TF Center/Green – Headquartered at LSA Anaconda and MSS Fernandez (CAG)
- TF Orange (ISA)
2.2 Units Which Compose Task Force Black/Knight
TF Black/Knight was composed of several British special forces units such as:
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Renaming of Task Force Black to Task Force Knight
Task Force black was renamed to Task Force Knight following the Basra prison incident in September 2005, in which two SAS personnel who had been captured were rescued following their arrest by local police.
This came after the name of the unit was leaked to the press.
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3 Equipment Used by Task Force Black/Knight
TF Black/Knight is presumed to be able to have access to the vehicles and weapons which is available to other British special forces units such as the SAS and SBS.
3.1 Weapons Used By Task Force Black/Knight
Some of the weapons available to be used by TF Black/Knight are:
| Weapon | Type | Calibre | Source |
| Sig Sauer P226 | Pistol | 9x19mm Parabellum | [Source] |
| Sig Sauer P228 | Pistol | 9x19mm Parabellum | [Source] |
| Glock 17 | Pistol | 9x19mm Parabellum | [Source] |
| Glock 19 | Pistol | 9x19mm Parabellum | [Source] |
| Remington 870 | Shotgun | 12 gauge | [Source] |
| Sig Rattler | Sub-Machine Gun (SMG) | .300 AAC Blackout/5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK MP5 | Sub-Machine Gun (SMG) | 9x19mm Parabellum | [Source] |
| C8 CQB Carbine | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| KS-1 Carbine | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| SA80 A2 L85 | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| M6A2 UCIW | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK G3 | Assault Rifle (AR) | 7.62x51mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK 33 | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK 53 | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK G36 | Assault Rifle (AR) | 5.56x45mm NATO | [Source] |
| HK417 | Battle Rifle (BR) | 7.62x51mm NATO | [Source] |
| Accuracy International Arctic Warfare | Sniper Rifle (SR) | 7.62x51mm NATO | [Source] |
| Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum | Sniper Rifle (SR) | .300 Winchester Magnum/.338 Lapua Magnum | [Source] |
| Accuracy International AX50 | Sniper Rifle (SR) | 12.7x99mm NATO | [Source] |
3.1.1 Explosive and Anti-Vehicular Weaponry
| Weapon | Type | Calibre | Source |
| M203 | Grenade Launcher | 40x46mm | [Source] |
| UGL | Grenade Launcher | 40x46mm | [Source] |
| MK19 (Installed on vehicles) | Grenade Launcher | 40x53mm | [Source] |
| NLAW | Anti-Tank Launcher | 150mm | [Source] |
| Javelin | Anti-Tank Launcher | 127mm | [Source] |
| Stinger | Anti-Air Launcher | 70mm | [Source] |
3.2 Vehicles Used by Task Force Black/Knight
Similar to its weaponry, TF Black/Knight is presumed to have access to vehicles which are also used by other British special forces units such as:
- Land Rover WMIK
- Range Rover
- Supacat HMT 400 / 600 / 700
- HMMWV
- LSVs (Light Strike Vehicles)
- Bushmaster IMV
- Lynx Helicopters
- Puma Helicopters
- C-130 Hercules
4 Operations of Task Force Black/Knight
Task Force Black/Knight was involved in several notable operations throughout its operational period. This includes:
4.1 Operation to Capture/Kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
In the early months of 2004, TF Black assaulted a house in Baghdad in order to capture/kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. After breaching the house, the operators withdrew when they discovered a booby trap (likely an IED).
They however still managed to overwhelm the personnel within the building. They discovered intelligence which showed that Zarqawi had left the premises shortly before the raid.
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4.2 Operation Lightwater
On November 26, 2005, a group of masked gunmen intercepted a vehicle transporting four members of the Christian Peacemaker charity. This lead to their abduction in the university district of Baghdad. This area had experienced significant unrest since the arrival of US Marines. They had engaged in prolonged confrontations with local militias.
In response to the kidnapping, Task Force Knight launched Operation Lightwater. This operation was led by B Squadron of the 22nd SAS Regiment, with the primary objective of locating and also rescuing the hostages.
A specialised team from JTF2, along with Canadian intelligence personnel, collaborated with the task force. The United States contributed technical intelligence support.
The Task Force prioritized Operation Lightwater over its ongoing missions under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) aimed at combating al-Qaeda and also, other terrorist factions in Iraq.
Operation Lightwater entailed conducting raids on residences and also apprehending suspects on a near-daily basis, with the central goal of intelligence gathering. The information and materials obtained during these raids provided deeper insights into the terrorist organisations associated with the kidnappers.
The exploitation of intelligence, particularly from mobile phone data, facilitated additional raids. In total, 50 buildings were raided, with 44 of these operations executed by British special forces, additionally resulting in the detention of 47 individuals. Only four of the raids were deemed ‘dry holes,’ meaning they yielded no actionable intelligence and additionally, the operation played a crucial role in the effort to locate the hostages.
4.2.1 Operation Ney 3
In the early morning of 23 March 2006, during Operation Lightwater, the SAS executed Operation Ney 3. This targeted a residence in Mishahda, located 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.
At this location, they apprehended two individuals of interest, who, under the duress of interrogation and also tactical questioning, disclosed the whereabouts of hostages in western Baghdad. Cautious of a potential ambush, the SAS contacted the kidnappers just prior to their assault on the house, warning them to vacate the premises.
At 0800 hours, B Squadron of the SAS breached the building, only to discover that the kidnappers had fled and could not be captured, however, this also allowed for the rescue of the hostages. The hostages were promptly escorted to a waiting Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, while the SAS withdrew in their Humvees.
4.3 Operation Larchwood 4
Between 15 January and 15 October 2006, al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) was part of a coalition. This was known as the Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC). The MSC included five or six other Sunni insurgent factions which adhered to a similar Salafist ideology.
Operation Larchwood 4 was conceived from intelligence which had been obtained by previous operations. These operations, executed by the SAS and also Delta, had targeted the AQI in regions referred to as the
“Baghdad Belts”.
During several nighttime operations on 8 and 13 April 2006, near Yusafiyah, TF Knight operators eliminated seven insurgents. Intelligence reports had identified these targets foreign Jihadists.
The intelligence acquired from these missions gave JSOC a clearer picture of the al-Qaeda cells in the Baghdad area.
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5 Conclusion
Task Force Black was a grouping of several British special forces units under a task force which operated alongside their American counterparts in Iraq. TF Black, later redesignated as TF Knight, was involved in dozens of missions and operations. These led to the capture of several high-ranking al-Qaeda members as well as former Saddam Hussein government members. Highly trained and well-equipped, TF Black/Knight was instrumental in the coalition’s war against al-Qaeda. It helped to rescue several hostage groups and also prevented the construction of IEDs and other weapons through the multiple raids it carried out. Although disbanded following British special forces withdrawal, TF Black left a mark on the Iraqi insurgent network.
