US Marines launch major offensive in Afghanistan

July 2, 2009

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Associated Press Thu Jul 02, 2009, 09:46 AM EDT

NAWA, Afghanistan — Thousands of U.S. Marines poured from helicopters and armored vehicles into Taliban-controlled villages in southern Afghanistan on Thursday in the first major operation under President Barack Obama's strategy to stabilize the country.

The offensive was launched shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday local time (4:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, 2030 GMT Wednesday) in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold and the world's largest opium poppy-producing area. The goal is to clear insurgents from the hotly contested region before the nation's Aug. 20 presidential election.

The Marines have not suffered any serious casualties and have seen only a sporadic resistance, said Lt. Abe Sipe, a spokesman for the unit.

"The enemy has chosen to withdraw rather than engage for the most part," Sipe said. "We had a couple of heat casualties, but not deemed serious in nature at this time."

The operation came as U.S. military announced that one of its soldiers was captured by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday. The missing soldier was not involved in the Helmand operation.

Officials described the offensive — dubbed Khanjar or "Strike of the Sword" — as the largest and fastest-moving of the war's new phase and the biggest Marine offensive since the one in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004. It involves nearly 4,000 newly arrived Marines plus 650 Afghan forces. British forces last week led similar, but smaller, missions to clear out insurgents in Helmand and neighboring Kandahar province.

"Where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson said in a statement.

Text Only

National/World News

Egypt's regime makes new concessions to opposition
CAIRO — Egypt's vice president met a wide representation of major opposition groups for the first time Sunday and agreed to allow freedom of the press, to release those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks and ago and to lift the country's hated emergency laws when security permits.

February 6, 2011
Egypt ruling party leaders resign but regime holds
February 5, 2011
Egypt chaos: Dozens of reporters beaten, arrested
CAIRO — Menacing gangs backing President Hosni Mubarak attacked journalists and human rights activists Thursday in an ugly turn in Egypt's crisis as government opponents pushed supporters out of Cairo's main square in a second day of battles. Organizers called for protesters trying to topple the regime to fill every square in the huge capital on Friday.

February 3, 2011
Suicide bombing in Iraq kills 52 police recruits
January 18, 2011
Sightseeing bus crashes in northern India, 22 dead
LUCKNOW, India — A sightseeing bus overturned and plunged into a gorge, killing 22 Indian tourists and injuring 12 others who were visiting a town at the foot of the Himalayas, officials said Thursday.

January 6, 2011
Six killed in tornado outbreak in Midwest, South
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Chris Sisemore kept his eyes open as a rare but deadly winter tornado plucked him from his rural Arkansas home and flung him across the street.

January 1, 2011
U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke dies
December 13, 2010
Cargo plane crashes into Pakistani housing complex
November 27, 2010
Growing pains for a centerpiece of health overhaul
WASHINGTON — It's a centerpiece of President Barack Obama's health care remake, a lifeline available right now to vulnerable people whose medical problems have made them uninsurable.

October 3, 2010
Big night for tea party: O'Donnell wins Delaware
September 14, 2010
More National/World News Headlines

Indiana is now the only state in the union that prohibits carry-out alcohol sales on Sunday. What do you think about Indiana’s current law?

National/World News

Search Results

US Marines launch major offensive in Afghanistan

Indiana is now the only state in the union that prohibits carry-out alcohol sales on Sunday. What do you think about Indiana’s current law?

Site Map