In the effort to uproot Taliban once and for all, U.S Marines have launched a fresh new offensive against a known Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan. The assault began with Marines inserting into the drop point via helicopters, backed by AV-8 Harrier jump jets, providing close air support to the invasion, along with operating danger-close missions. The latest operation is seen as a pre-emptive strike against this Taliban stronghold to ensure peaceful Afghanistan Presidential elections, that are scheduled to be held next week.

The Taliban fighters retaliated with small arms fire, mortars and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), one of the deadliest weapons in Taliban’s arsenal that has proven to be a handful for the coalition force in Iraq. The initial fighting between the two forces lasted for more than eight hours, with Harrier fighter jets dropping flares instead of guided bombs, as an act of warning to the Taliban. The fighting killed at least seven insurgents. U.S Marines hope to sever the re-supply lines for the Taliban fighters, by taking over this stronghold.

Te assault has largely been concentrated towards the mountains in the vicinity of Dahaneh (Dahaneh-ye Ghowri) , a small village in the southern province of Afghanistan. The other assault team of U.S Marines began their insertion in under heavy enemy resistance and roadside bombs.

According to Bryan Whitman (Spokesman, Pentagon),

“They are engaged in a fight. They are meeting some resistance.”

The fresh new assault, that has been designated as Operation Easter Resolve 2 on its first day was composed of 400 U.S. forces and about 100 Afghan army soldiers, backed up helicopter gunships, fighter bombers and other U.S forces assets, including U.S Marines female officers, who were tasked with communicating with the Afghan women in the village, as the forces continued their house-to-house search.

Via Associated Press.