Denmark in Afghanistan

The country of Denmark suffered significant casualties in the Afghan War as a result of its deployment to areas of Afghanistan that saw some of the fiercest fighting. Most of Denmarks combat troops deployed to Helmand province working with the British contingent.

Denmark committed its Jaeger Corps and Frogmand Corps early on in the Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) phase of the Afghan conflict. Fighter and transport aircraft were also provided during the initial states of the invasion of Afghanistan. The "Danish Frogmen were deployed to Afghanistan as part of the allied Task Force K-Bar - a coalition of multiple Special Forces comprised of almost 3,000 international troops." 3.

Danish forces in Afghanistan suffered 43 fatalities, which is the highest per capita death rate among coalition members. The USA suffered 2,461 deaths at a rate of 7.96 deaths per million population; the highest of the coalition partners. The Danes suffered 43 deaths at a rate of 7.82 deaths per million, the second highest among NATO partners. 1.

The Danish military deployed to Afghanistan from 2002 to 2021 contributing troops to the International Security Assistance force and later the Resolute Support Mission. The last Danish troops were withdrawn in June 2021.

Danish forces played an important role in combat operations in southern Afghanistan during a very high operations tempo from roughly 2009 to 2011. 2. The courage and committment of the Danish soldiers is without question. When Western democracies are facing threats from state and non-state actors, America needs allies like these more than ever.

The country of Denmark has been one of NATO's most dependable members - participating in many American-led conflicts to include Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya. 4.

Papers & Publications about Denmark in Afghanistan

USAWC, "Denmark's Lessons", Parameters, Winter 2019, United States Army War College, pages 27-38. An article about Denmark's lessons learned from the Afghan conflict.
https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/3720.pdf

DIIS, Lessons from the Danish Integrated Approach in Afghanistan 2001-2014, Danish Institute for International Studies, 9 June 2016.
www.diis.dk/en/research/lessons-from-the-danish-integrated-approach-in-afghanistan-2001-2014

News Reports about Denmark in Afghanistan

February 4, 2021, "An Ounce of Blood", by Todd Johnson, War Room, Army War College.

January 22, 2017, "Demark deploys Army Special Forces to Syria", Lima Charlie News.

January 4, 2016. "This is the fictional war film which features real life soldiers", BBC Newsbeat. A war movie about the Danish military's involvement in Afghanistan.

June 12, 2015, "From ISAF to RS: Denmark continues key role in Afghanistan", U.S. Army.

May 29, 2014, "Denmark Army Ends Mission in Afghanistan, Bids Farewell to Coalition Partners", Marines.mil. This year marked the 17th rotation and final deployment to Afghanistan for DANCON. Since their first mission began, more than 18,000 Danish soldiers have deployed to the country.

September 17, 2013, "Jaeger: Danish SOF at War in Afghanistan", by Thomas Rathsack, SOFREP. 

March 2012. "Casualty rates among Danish soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan", PubLMed, National Library of Medicine.

March 11, 2012, "Danish Special Forces to Train Afghan Special Police Response Company", Afghan War Blog.

Movies about Denmark in Afghanistan

A War (Krigen), this fictional film about a Danish combat unit deployed to Helmand province depicts many of the aspects of war encountered by infantry units. Read a review of the movie A War at the link below.
www.afghanwarnews.info/movies/a-war.htm

Armadillo, Danish soldiers are sent to Afghanistan in 2009 for 6 months, to help stabilize the country against the Taliban. They are stationed on Armadillo military base in Helmand province. This documentary won a prize at the 2010 Cannes film festival.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640680/plotsummary/

References

"Afghanistan - Resolute Support", forsaret.dk.
https://www.forsvaret.dk/en/roles-and-responsibilities/afsluttede-operationer/delmangde-afsluttede-oprationer/afghanistan---resolute-support/

Denmark in NATO. https://shape.nato.int/denmark

January 24, 2025, "Danish Special Forces: The Huntsmen of Denmark", by Abbi Clark, Grey Dynamics.

June 3, 2023, "Notable Operations and Recognitions of the Danish Special Forces", SOFX.

January 2007, "Danish Assistance to Afghanistan Will Be Increased", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
https://www.nato.int/docu/comm/2007/0701-hq/_danish_fact_sheet.pdf

Endnotes

1. "Number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan", WikipediA, accessed 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_casualties_in_Afghanistan

2. "An Ounce of Blood", by Todd Johnson, War Room, Army War College.
https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/articles/an-ounce-of-blood/

3. "Danish Frogmen: Special Maritime Operators", by Abbi Clark, Grey Dynamics.
https://greydynamics.com/danish-frogmen-special-maritime-operators/

4. "I am in Denmark's Parliment. Here's Why America Has Us So Stunned", by Ida Auken, New York Times, April 15, 2025.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/opinion/denmark-vance-trump-nato.html

Photo Description: (L) The Memorial to Danish overseas military deployments in Kastellet, Copenhagen. (R) Soldiers with the Danish Contingent stand in formation during their end of mission ceremony aboard Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, May 20, 2014. That year marked the 17th rotation and final major deployment to Afghanistan for DANCON. Since their first mission began, more than 18,000 Danish soldiers have deployed to the country. Photo Credit: (L) Zymurgy via Wikimedia Commons (R) Sgt. Jessica Ostroska, USMC.