About 200 Afghan soldiers May 31 to June 1 night in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, the help of “airborne” to the former Taliban fighters captured by the Nuristan province of Baerjima Thar area, not firing a single shot will be back to this area.
Associated Press comments on the United States in Afghanistan have been repeatedly criticized by local forces earlier this made “an important symbolic victory.”
Not fired a single shot
Afghan Ministry of Defense on June 1 issued a statement saying that the action by the Afghan National Army and coalition forces in Afghanistan, joint implementation, at 9:50 p.m. on the May 31 start, “the government forces won the Nuristan province Seoul area. ”
One familiar with the operation, U.S. military officials told The Associated Press, May 31 before the operation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces had air Baerjima Thar area, including one believed to target the Taliban militants command post of the cave.
This officer, who declined to be named, said about 200 Afghan soldiers before dawn on June 1 “airborne” to the area, a small number of U.S. military advisers and several U.S. military aircraft to provide helicopter support group.
Taliban militants surrounded the Baerjima May 28 Tal area, after heavy fighting with the police on May 29 captured here, forcing the district government and local security forces withdraw.
NATO on June 1, said in a statement, troops shot will not regain the main villages in the region, no one was injured. The military operations continue, expected to last a day or two. Taliban militants are believed to have fled the area, may seek refuge in the valley.
U.S. military officials said about 500 Taliban fighters fled to a valley about 25 km. The operation to add strength to Baerjima Thar area, so that the number of troops in Afghanistan to 600.
Important victory
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman sand on June 1 said in a statement: “The successful operation by the Afghan troops, will return to the Government Baerjima Thar area management. This action demonstrates our coalition on the occurrence of serious incidents in remote areas of Afghanistan ability to respond. ”
Nuristan province, bordering Pakistan. U.S. troops in Afghanistan to set many previous posts here, to prevent the infiltration of Taliban militants from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Last year in October, the Taliban storm kamdesh Nuristan province, killing eight U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Nuristan province, U.S. military withdrawal from the same month.
Since then, the Taliban in the province in frequent activities. Some people worry that other provinces in Afghanistan as U.S. large-scale offensive against the Taliban, coupled with Pakistan’s efforts to suppress the moment to increase, Nuristan this remote edge of provinces could become the Taliban’s “new heaven.”
Associated Press comments, the U.S. military expected the local security forces as soon as possible to the transfer of security in Afghanistan, but Afghan forces have frequently accused of inefficiency and regain Baerjima Tal area of the Afghan forces is described as “an important symbolic victory.”
Some local villagers report, Maroua, a known Taliban commander in Pakistan that Fazlollah last week in Nuristan province, Afghan National Army were killed. The news has not been confirmed by government officials.
“Spring offensive”
Afghanistan, coalition forces and Afghan National Army now brewing in southern Kandahar province, the Ministry launched the largest offensive to date, the number of coalition forces in Afghanistan to be up to 15 million in August.
The Taliban claimed that will be launched against the Afghan government and coalition forces in Afghanistan a “spring offensive.”
Farah in western Afghanistan, provincial government officials on June 1, said about 180 Taliban militants attacked the same evening a police post in the province, the police several hours fighting with the Taliban, using rifles, rockets and other weapons to end around midnight fighting.
Farah province, said police chief, 15 Taliban militants were killed, a police was killed and a policeman was wounded in “six to help the police attack against the Taliban The local villagers dead. ”
Agence France-Presse reported that a British soldier in Afghanistan on May 30 while patrolling in Helmand province in southern killed by bomb attacks, died in Afghanistan this year’s first 223 foreign soldiers.
