US Marines hit Taliban heartland as part of Barack Obama's 'big surge'

Thousands of United States Marines have swept into a Taliban heartland in the first big drive of President Barack Obama's Afghanistan surge strategy.

housands of United States Marines have swept into a Taliban heartland in the first big drive of President Barack Obama's Afghanistan surge strategy.


By Ben Farmer in Kabul
More than 4,000 marines and 600 Afghan soldiers backed by helicopters and jets stormed Taliban-held districts to drive out the militant fighters.

Commanders hope the offensive by thousands of newly arrived troops will be a turning point in the eight-year-battle against a stubborn Taliban-led insurgency.
t also represents a major test of Mr Obama's surge strategy, with Washington strongly hinting it will not send any further reinforcements to the country.


The offensive took place as it was revealed a US soldier in eastern Afghanistan had been captured and was being held by militants.

US commanders said the audacious marine assault, which involved the biggest helicopter landing by US marines since Vietnam, was a "big, risky plan".

The troops, borne by helicopters and vehicle convoys, were expected to quickly clear militant strongholds in a 36-hour blitz.

'Operation Khanjar' or 'sword strike' met little early resistance as waves of helicopters ferried marines into the lower Helmand valley in the early hours of Thursday.

Armoured convoys also stormed into the districts of Nowa and Garmsir, which are covered in fields of opium poppy, criss-crossed by canals and dotted with mud-brick walled compounds.

Marines said many insurgents had been taken by surprise as Marines landed by helicopter.

Capt Drew Schoenmaker, of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, said: "We are kind of forging new ground here. We are going to a place nobody has been before."

Taliban fighters had launched sporadic small arms attacks and then drifted away in the face of overwhelming numbers, they said.

No casualties were reported on either side.

In a sign of growing regional cooperation, Pakistan deployed its own soldiers in Baluchistan to cut off fighters fleeing across the porous border.

A spokesman for the provincial governor said Nowa and Garmsir had been out of control for three years and also harboured foreign militant fighters.

Overstretched British forces have been locked in stalemate further north in Helmand for three years, with too few troops to hold the province's enormous plains.

Once the districts have been cleared, the marines will remain in the area, building bases as part of their 'clear, hold and build' strategy. They will also attempt to provide security for next month's presidential elections.

Brigadier Gen Larry Nicholson, who commands the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, said the offensive involved "great risks and amazing opportunities".

He said "These are days of immense change for Helmand province. We're going down there, and we're going to stay - that's what is different this time." He added: "The intent is to go big, go strong and go fast, and by doing so we are going to save lives on both sides."

Around 8,500 US marines have arrived in Helmand in recent weeks as part of 21,000 reinforcements ordered to Afghanistan by Mr Obama earlier this year.

US troops are also destined for neighbouring Kandahar province, with the total US deployment set to reach 68,000 troops by Christmas.

However, earlier this week, James Jones, the US National Security Adviser, hinted commanders would have no more extra troops to work with.

He said: "This will not be won by the military alone. We tried that for six years."

"The piece of the strategy that has to work in the next year is economic development. If that is not done right, there are not enough troops in the world to succeed."

General Stanley MacChrystal, the incoming commander of the Nato-led coalition, has said forces should concentrate more on protecting Afghans rather than killing the enemy.

The launch of the operation was welcomed by Gulab Mangal, the Helmand governor.

"The security forces will build bases to provide security for the local people so that they can carry out every activity with this favourable background, and take their lives forward in peace," he said.

Critics had questioned how a meaningful national election could be held when Taliban militants controlled so much of southern Afghanistan.

Senior American officers have said the operation will also aim to win hearts and minds of Afghans who have been living under Taliban control by explaining why they are there and gaining their trust.

Despite the lack of resistance, Taliban commanders threatened to fight the advance and US commanders said they expected fighters to regroup.

Mullah Hayat Khan, a senior Afghan Taliban commander speaking from Pakistan said: "Thousands of Taliban mujahideen are ready to fight against US troops in the operation in Helmand province."

A spokesman for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade said previous offensives against the Taliban suggested they would regroup to launch guerrilla attacks and a roadside bombing campaign.