Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers
by Greg Chabot
For Halloween, Greg Chabot leads us down the rabbit hole in search of the legendary Giants of Afghanistan. So gather ’round in the dark and hold your flashlights under your chins, while Greg tells the tales. ~SKK
Throughout history there have been phenomena and sightings of things that can’t be explained. Cryptids are among these, with Bigfoot being the most famous. Many sightings were reported during GWOT in Afghanistan. Were the stories true, or were they just chow hall bullshit? You be the judge.
The Incidents
In 2002, the story goes, a Special Forces ODA was searching for a missing U.S. patrol in the mountains outside Kandahar. Working their way up the trail they came across pieces of kit and fired weapons casings scattered along the trail. Continuing the mission, the ODA came upon the entrance of a large cave with more kit and piles of bones lying about.
READ MORE from Greg Chabot: Juba the Baghdad Sniper: Was He Real, Or a Clever Psyop?
Approaching the entrance, a soldier named “Dan” was about to enter the cave. A loud cry was heard as a spear pierced Dan lifting him off the ground, killing him. A 13-foot-tall humanoid with flaming red hair and a beard stepped out and attacked the remaining soldiers. They engaged the giant with their weapons. They killed it after 30 seconds of sustained gunfire.
Upon closer inspection of the remains, it was discovered the giant had six fingers and toes and a double row of teeth. A Chinook was dispatched to collect the KIA and the giant. The missing patrol was never found, and the ODA was sworn to secrecy being forced to sign NDAs. A man who said he was one of the Chinook pilots told the story in 2008 during an interview on George Noory’s radio show.
What happened on that mountain? Did it even happen? Or was it just chow hall bullshit that grew into a mysterious legend of GWOT? Could it have been an encounter with a race of beings forgotten by time? If it did happen, why was it withheld from the public?
Through research I could find no records of any missing patrols or TICs (Troops in contact) with a soldier being killed by a spear. Chow hall bullshit could possibly be the best explanation.
As time goes on so does the legend of a race of giants that walk among us. This wasn’t an isolated story, as there were reports of other sightings via drones in various provinces.
An infantry soldier in 2008 is said to have seen an unusual sight while on an OP in Kunar province. The soldier using a prototype thermal scope noticed what he thought was a group of suspected Taliban sitting around a fire. Until the entire heat signature rose up and began walking away. The soldier estimated the being to be at least 12 to 15 feet tall, as his head was above surrounding trees. The sighting was dismissed due to fatigue and a problem with the thermals.
A drone operator reported seeing three giants in a remote village in the northern part of the country. Stating they were tending a fire, and that the livestock looked like cats next to them. This too was dismissed as a problem with the drones’ cameras.
Another drone flying over the Korengal valley in 2012 spotted a group of Taliban huddled around a fire in a village. The operator noticed one of the individuals dwarfed the others in the group, making them look like children. Walking over to a hut, the giant had to bend over to enter the structure. This report has the giants living amongst the locals and not hunting them as prey unlike the story from Kandahar.
Sightings are not just confined to US forces. An Australian officer on guard duty in Uruzgan province supposedly noticed through the thermals at 1,800 meters a heat signature walking behind a compound. The signature towered over the roof of the structures and the officer claimed to have followed it for five minutes until the signature disappeared out of view.
Having used thermals myself in Iraq, I know that it is possible there was a malfunction or glitch. I never had a problem with a thermal showing something bigger than what it was. Could fatigue have been an issue? Yes, it is possible, and many of us on deployments use supplements or cans of Rip-it to stay alert and awake. It is possible their eyes were playing tricks on them.
In 2016 a video interview surfaced with a gentleman named “Mr.K” claiming to have been on the team that killed the giant. Supposedly the video was taken down, but I managed to find it. He described the fight with the giant and the aftermath and the secrecy surrounding it.
In another video, someone who claimed to be the Chinook pilot said that the corpse was taken to Wright Patterson Air Force base in Ohio. I could find no records of any flights going there during the time claimed. That’s not to say a flight didn’t happen and it was kept off the record.
Another theory is that the Nephilim are amongst us. Nephilim are mentioned in the Bible, and were a mysterious race of people that were described as very tall and powerful beings. The Hebrew word nefilim roughly translates as “giants” or “fallen ones.” Some believe they are the offspring of humans and fallen angels. Which could explain the secrecy surrounding the remains of the being killed by the ODA. If the Nephilim are walking the earth in remote areas, it could be proof that this account in the Bible is true. I leave that to readers to make their own determinations.
Are there giants in Afghanistan? It is quite a rabbit hole to go down. I couldn’t find one official report anywhere. I can only hope that if the incidents did happen, someone off that team will come forward. Preferably with pictures or actual drone footage of these beings. We probably have a better chance of the Epstein client list going public first.
Until then, the Giant of Kandahar and the rest will remain among the mysteries of GWOT.
Stay safe, and Happy Halloween!
Greg Chabot served in Iraq 2004-2005. He is a freelance writer living in New Hampshire. He frequently contributes to Soldier of Fortune.
