AFGHANISTAN: U.S. troops in launched new offensive against recent Taliban campaign in Afghanistan

About 7,000 U.S. and Afghan government forces launched an offensive against the Taliban in central and eastern Afghan provinces on Saturday (September 16). Operation Mountain Fury is the third offensive launched in recent weeks against a resurgent Taliban who have unleashed the worst phase of Afghan violence since they were ousted in 2001. "Mountain Fury is just one of a series of the coordinated operations placing continuous pressure on Taliban extremists across multiple regions of the country," said U.S military spokesman lieutenant colonel Paul Fitzpatrick. About 10,000 NATO and Afghan troops have in recent weeks mounted a big offensive in the southern province of Kandahar, killing hundreds of militants in the Taliban heartland. "Approximately 4,000 Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan Border Police with approximately 3,000 U.S coalition forces in support, are conducting mountain Fury in five province in central eastern of Afghanistan," said Fitzpatrick. Troops from a separate U.S.-led force have been battling insurgents in the eastern province of Kunar, on the Pakistani border, in a third offensive. Operation Mountain Fury was aimed at defeating the Taliban in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktiya, all in the east on the Pakistani border, as well as in neighbouring Ghazni and Logar provinces, the U.S. military said. The level of violence this year has surprised the government and its Western allies and raised concern about the prospects for a country that had been seen as a success in the war on terrorism. US MILITARY

ITN Source | September 17, 2006

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