ing , ▁was ▁the ▁U . S . ▁joint ▁task ▁force ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁northern ▁front ▁during ▁the ▁initial ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q ▁( O IF ▁Rot ation ▁I ). ▁It ▁secured ▁Kir ku k , ▁Mos ul , ▁and ▁the ▁northern ▁oil ▁fields ; ▁prevent ed ▁ 1 3 ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁divisions ▁from ▁def ending ▁Bag hd ad ▁or ▁rein for cing ▁def ensive ▁operations ▁against ▁American ▁and ▁British ▁troops ▁adv ancing ▁in ▁the ▁south , ▁and ▁th wart ed ▁Turkish ▁efforts ▁to ▁sub vert ▁Kur dist an . ▁Task ▁Force ▁Vik ing ▁conducted ▁art illery ▁observer , ▁direct ▁action , ▁special ▁reconna issance , ▁and ▁un con vent ional ▁war fare ▁miss ions ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁dis rupt ▁and ▁fix ▁Ira qi ▁forces ▁array ed ▁along ▁the ▁" Green ▁Line ", ▁the ▁nom inal ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁dem arc ation ▁line ▁between ▁the ▁Kur d ish ▁northern ▁provinces ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁controlled ▁by ▁S add am ▁Hus sein . ▁The ▁original ▁campaign ▁for ▁northern ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁Task ▁Force ▁were ▁ended ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁C JS OT F – N ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ' s ▁Special ▁Forces ▁units , ▁ 1 7 3 rd ▁Air bor ne ▁Brigade , ▁ 1 0 th ▁Mountain ▁Division , ▁ 9 3 2 nd ▁For ward ▁S urg ical ▁Team ▁( F