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| U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie L. Carl - via Wikipedia |
A major offensive on Taliban strongholds has been launched by Afghan security forces, supported by British troops.
Among those overseeing the Afghan-led operation launched on Friday in
the area surrounding Helmand's second city of Gereshk were members of
3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
The regiment lost five soldiers in a blast which killed six while
they were travelling in an armoured vehicle about 20 miles away two
weeks ago.
The operation - dubbed Now Roz, meaning New Day in Dari - aims to rid
the Taliban from an area which is traditionally regarded as a
stronghold for the insurgency.
Afghan National Security Forces (
ANSF) moved into the area on Friday
while coalition troops set up observational posts on high ground over
the Yakchal valley.
Over the weekend Afghan troops have moved from compound to compound, meeting little resistance as insurgents attempted to flee.
They uncovered a number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as compounds were searched.
Second Lieutenant Chris Trezise, from Maidstone, Kent, of the
Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, was among British troops overseeing
the operation.
He said the drive was the result of preparatory work to "empower"
Afghan forces and "give them the tools to do it for themselves".
Speaking on Saturday, he added: "The objective is to carry out an
ANSF clearance operation, with the Afghan National Army clearing north
to south and the
Afghan National Civil Order Police preventing
insurgents fleeing southwards.
"The clearance is going well although it is not yet complete.
"Troops on the ground did not meet much small arms fire but the ANA have found a number of IEDs and suicide vests.
"The Afghan forces are doing very well, we've given them their tasks and they have gone about them very professionally."
The operation comes as coalition troops prepare to withdraw in 2014
and after Afghan president Hamed Khazi called for them to move back to
main bases by 2013.
British troops are increasingly moving into mentoring roles, ensuring the Afghan forces are ready to take charge of security.
It is hoped that local security forces will be able to take control
of the
Gereshk district by the end of this year and this weekend's
operation is seen as a vital part of the bid to make the area safe.
A number of suspected insurgents who attempted to flee Yakchal to the
south were captured by the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP)
late on Saturday.
They were held for processing by British troops and will be detained by Afghan authorities to await trial.
Officers from ANCOP, approached by locals alarmed by the heavy
military presence and the sound of several blasts, offered reassurances
and explained the purpose of the mission.
from
huffingtonpost
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Six Taliban militants were killed as their explosive device went off accidentally in Helmand province 555 km south of Kabul on Wednesday, spokesman for provincial administration Ahmad Zirak said.
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