led Operation Halmazag, an offensive to establish a permanent ISAF presence around the village of Isa Khel and Quatliam, just 6 miles west of the main Coalition compound at Kunduz. Assisted by American close air support and suppressive fire from their PzH2000s, approximately 300 German paratroopers and further Afghan forces drove off the Taliban from the area on November 4, and had consolidated a credible coalition presence around Quatliam and Isa Khel by November 15. At least eight insurgents were killed in battle with the Germans and dozens captured while coalition forces sustained only minor wounds. Post-Halmazag In late 2010 it became soon clear that the coalition would end its offensive activities in Afghanistan no later than by the last quarter 2014. With five infantry battalions now at its disposal, RC-N proceeded to secure the gains scored thus far. Fierce fighting – though less frequent in total due to the now-strong coalition presence – continued throughout 2011, with the Talibans' focus of operations shifting towards Baghlan province for a time until it came to a near-halt in late 2011. While this was regarded by some observers as a clear indication of the German success in the region, the insurgents continued to show their strength from time to time; perhaps their worst blow dealt to the Germans took place on May 28, 2011, when Major General Markus Kneip, NATO's highest-ranking officer in the northern part of Afghanistan, was seriously wounded in an attack. Two soldiers of Kneip's entourage and several Afghans were also killed that day. Kneip is the highest ranking WIA of the Afghanistan War. The heaviest roadside bombing ever recorded in RC-N struck a German combat patrol on June 2. The approximately quarter ton explosive device tore apart a Marder infantry fighting vehicle, killing one soldier and critically wounding five. This was the only loss of a Marder to hostile activity. Soon afterwards the last officially recognized full-scale Taliban assault on German forces took place at Shahabuddin. An insurgent force tried to take the German outpost there by surprise but was fought off with considerable losses not least due to the defending 231st Mountain Infantry Battalion's commander, Lieutenant colonel Jared Sembritzki. He was awarded with the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour on September 6. A member of the German special forces (KSK) was killed in action and another wounded on June 6, 2013, the first combat losses in