DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY February 13, 2010 ~ Attack On Afghan Town Marjah Launched

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY February 13, 2010 ~ Attack On Afghan Town Marjah Launched *Source: DTN News / By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY (NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - February 13, 2010: U.S. Marines and Afghan forces launched the largest combined offensive of the war before dawn Saturday, in a move designed to seize control of a remaining Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan.U.S. soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division carry a cable to pull an armored vehicle out of a canal in the Badula Qulp area, west of Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010. This unit is operating in support of a U.S. Marine offensive against the Taliban in Marjah area. Helicopter-borne Marines swooped into Marjah, in central Helmand province, and other forces took up positions around the town of about 80,000 in the early-morning hours. To land inside the town, Marines and Afghan troops leapfrogged over minefields that the Taliban are believed to have planted. "The first wave of choppers has landed inside Marjah. The operation has begun," Capt. Joshua Winfrey, commander of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, told the Associated Press. The offensive to clear Marjah in central Helmand province is considered a key test of the U.S.-led counterinsurgency efforts. U.S. and Afghan commanders warned of the attack, giving some insurgents a chance to leave but also allowing civilians to avoid the crossfire and moderates to join the government side. Afghan officials also asked for the support of tribal leaders before launching the offensive in the hopes of avoiding major bloodshed.In this handout photo released by Ministry of Defence via PA, soldiers of the 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh in line make their way onto the helicopters on mass as they prepare for Operation Moshtarak in Afghanistan, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010. British troops were today engaged in fierce fighting with the Taliban in southern Afghanistan as the military operation got under way. U.S.-led airstrikes began as dawn broke in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah in Helmand Province where up to 1,000 insurgents are believed to be holed up. "The difference is this operation is structured to protect civilians," Maj. Gen. Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, said before the offensive was launched. Azimi said intelligence suggests that the Taliban will avoid a major confrontation and will instead attempt to slip the noose. Lower level insurgents who are in the fight for the money will be encouraged to lay down their arms. Commanders say they won't know for certain whether that message has resonated until they are inside the city, but officials say there are suggestions that the message has been received well. "Groups along edge of the city are already telling Marines, 'Hey, we're ready for you guys to come in,'" said Marine Col. Paul Kennedy, who commands a regiment that will be coming to Helmand province as part of a new surge of American forces. Kennedy recently visited the region and spoke before the offensive was launched. But Marjah presents a number of challenges for an attacking force. It is crisscrossed by canals that make movement difficult and favors defenders. Azimi said he expects insurgents to seed the area with roadside bombs, possibly to help cover their withdrawal. Marjah is among the last remaining insurgent redoubts in Helmand province, a poppy-growing region of Afghanistan that has been a traditional stronghold of the Taliban. The area, with a population of about 400,000 in the town and surrounding region, is an important part of Helmand's economy and a key population center. An influx of U.S. Marines last year has weakened the Taliban in the region and secured most villages and towns in Helmand. But many insurgents fled to Marjah, creating a dangerous mix of insurgents, criminals and drug traffickers in one of the province's most important towns. Over recent months, the Afghan government has bolstered the number of its police and soldiers in Helmand, since they are the key to holding ground once it is cleared of insurgents. "We have enough forces in the area to maintain long-term security," Azimi said.

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