NATO troops gain control of Taliban hotbeds in Afghanistan

KABUL - The NATO-led forces Sunday claimed to have gained control over Marjah and other major strongholds of the Taliban militants in Afghanistan as the new offensive involving over 15,000 soldiers continued for the second day.

The forces, including the US, Afghan and British troops, killed 27 militants and seized crucial positions across Marjah since they began house-to-house search in the southern Helmand province as part of the operation ‘Mushtarak’ (together) launched Saturday.

Mohammed Dawood Ahmadi, a spokesman for Helmand province’s governor, said Afghan and NATO forces had set up 11 outposts across Marjah and two in the neighbouring town of Nad Ali.

“We now occupy all the strategic points in the area,” he said.

From those posts, marines and soldiers began patrolling, searching door-to-door for weapons and fighters. This phase of the operation, considered the most dangerous, is expected to last at least five days.

However, the allied forces faced resistance from the insurgents and the pattern suggested that the hardest fighting lies in the days to come, The News reported.

One American and a British marine soldiers were reported killed by small-arms fire. NATO officials said that no civilian casualties had been reported.

The combined forces also held meetings with local Afghans and asked for help in finding Taliban and hidden bombs in the area.

The offensive has been launched as part of America’s new strategy to establish the control of civilian government in the troubled areas before the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan in 2011.