Marines and Afghan units converged on Sunday on a dangerous western quarter of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, with NATO forces facing “determined resistance” as their assault on the southern town entered its second week.
Fighter jets, drones and attack helicopters hovered overhead, as Marine and Afghan companies moved on a 5.2-sq. km area where more than 40 insurgents have apparently holed up.
“They are squeezed,” said Lt. Col. Brian Christmas.
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“It looks like they want to stay and fight but they can always drop their weapons and slip away. That's the nature of this war.”
Insurgents are putting up a “determined resistance” in various parts of Marjah, though the overall offensive is “on track,” said NATO on Sunday, eight days after thousands of Afghan and international forces launched their largest joint operation since the Taliban regime's ouster in 2001. Late last week, Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, head of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, said he believed it would take at least 30 days to complete securing the Nad Ali district and Marjah in Helmand province, a hub for a lucrative opium trade that profits militants. The operation is a test of a NATO strategy that stresses protecting civilians over routing insurgents as quickly as possible.
It's also the first major ground operation since President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan. NATO plans to rush in a civilian Afghan administration, restore public services and pour in aid to try to win the loyalty of the population and prevent the Taliban from returning.
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Twelve NATO troops and one Afghan soldier have died so far in the offensive. Marine officers say more than 120 insurgents have died.